Tourists pay to live like illegal immigrants in Mexico

PHOENIX - A new travel trend has tourists visiting parts of Mexico to see the realities of drug violence and human smuggling, a trend Ken Krusentsterna doesn't understand.

In 1999, Krusentsterna was kidnapped while on a business trip in Mexico.For two weeks, his captors kept him bound, gave him very little food and water, and demanded cash for his release.

He recalls it as a painful nightmare and doesn't see why a new wave of tourists would put themselves at risk to go through something similar.

"I can't imagine why anyone would want to pay to get involved in that. I think it's the stupidest idea I've ever heard of," he said.

It's been called "dark tourism", groups of people who steer clear of beaches, cruises and traditional tours and reportedly make their way to border towns seeking the reality of drug cartel violence and the misery of human smuggling.

"If they're that crazy, they don't need to pay for it. They should go down there on a Saturday night, and go to an area that is not very well maintained and get out of the car and they will get all the thrills they want on their own," Krusensterna said.

In addition to visiting sites of previous violence, groups could travel to notoriously dangerous areas for photo opportunities.

There are even reports of tours allowing customers to pretend to sneek into the U.S., trying to elude 'guides' dressed as border patrol agents.

Krusensterna says it's just tempting trouble to visit those hot zones.

"A lot of people think they have rules down there, and there are no rules. When you leave this country, all those rules are behind," he said.