Mexico City, March 8 : Four US citizens who had travelled to the Mexican border city of Matamoros for medical procedures, were assaulted and kidnapped in a case of mistaken identity, an informed official said.

The Americans are believed to have been targeted by mistake and were not the intended victims, the official said. Investigators believe a Mexican cartel likely mistook them for Haitian drug smugglers, the official said, adding investigators have not identified any concerning criminal history on the part of the Americans.

The Americans had traveled to the border city of Matamoros for medical procedures, the official said, citing receipts found in the vehicle.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador offered a similar explanation.