sept 7 2010151 the sundrenched resorts and crystal waters that have long lured foreigners to cancun mexico may no longer be enough of a draw if tourists have to worry increasingly about bring caught in the crossfire of the countrys dangerous drug war the deadly bombing last week of the castillo del mar bar in cancun that left eight people dead all mexican nationals has spurred questions about whether this popular tourist draw will join the ranks of other mexican cities overrun with bloodthirsty and moneyhungry drug cartels that have all but decimated tourism to the north vanda felbabbrown a foreign policy fellow for the brookings institution told abcnewscom monday that the nations largest tourism resort even with its history of street violence and drug smuggling is still one of the safer destinations in mexico but safer opposed to what she said i truly believe the vast majority of tourists would have no problem going to mexico she said however the more and more attacks especially more bombs that increases the chance that someone will get caught in violence with tourism the only industry in mexico generating new jobs officials have been quick to reassure potential visitors that the violence is aimed only at other criminals not innocent bystanders but felbabbrown said i dont think its been a very effective message it is unclear this early into the investigation whether the attack was an isolated incident or a prelude to more violent future felbabbrown who specializes in illegal economics and organized crime said there have been reports out of the region although still unconfirmed that the bar was targeted by men throwing molotov cocktails because its owners had reneged on payment as part of an extortion plot the associated press reported that mexican authorities have arrested six men in the attack although cancun has been a hotbed of cocaine smuggling for years it has largely avoided the largescale attacks and kidnappings that have made border towns intensely dangerous for mexicans and tourists alike but the city long a haven for springbreakers and honeymooners hasnt been immune to the countrys volatile war on drugs with the corpses of police officers and politicians surfacing at regular intervals this is not the first time there has been violence in this area felbabbrown said mexican law enforcement tasked with balancing safety keeping the peace maintaining the relative safety of cancun would take a calculated effort on the part of mexican law enforcement felbabbrown said one that they so far have not managed to organize too much of a crackdown she said could result in a upswing in rage among the drug lords who will wage violent retaliation against the police too little and tourists will look elsewhere this is a very difficult calculation she said i dont think the government of mexico has been very effective felbabbrown pointed to acapulco as an example of what could eventually become of cancun if the drug cartels take over once an immensely popular