Police find 5 bodies, severed head in Mexico
MORELIA, Mexico — Mexican police on Tuesday found the remains of six people tortured and shot to death in a western state that is a focus of the government’s war against drug cartels.
In other bloodshed, the body of a slain Texas teenager was found in a violent northern border city, but authorities had not determined whether her killing was related to the drug trade.
Police in the western state of Michoacan found the bodies of five men in a hole on a remote dirt road near the city of Apatzingan, the state prosecutor’s office said. The bodies were blindfolded, gagged and showed signs of torture and multiple gunshot wounds — trademarks of drug-related homicides.
Authorities said they also found a severed head belonging to a sixth person and bullet casings from assault rifles. Mexican drug traffickers frequently decapitate their victims.
None of the bodies had been identified.
Michoacan has been a major focus of a crackdown on organized crime launched by President Felipe Calderon after taking office in late 2006. More than 10,800 people have died in drug violence since then.
Last month, federal agents arrested 10 mayors across Michoacan on suspicion of protecting La Familia cartel.
State Secretary Fidel Calderon said Tuesday the Michoacan government was officially firing more than a dozen state officials and police chiefs charged with links to organized crime. He added, however, that three mayors released Monday after spending more than a month in jail while being investigated will be allowed to return to office.
In the northern city of Ciudad Juarez, police found the body of a 19-year-old woman dumped at an intersection with her throat slit.
U.S. Consulate officials identified her as an American citizen from across the border in El Paso, Texas, said Vladimir Gonzalez, a spokesman for the Chihuahua state attorney general. Police were investigating whether her killing was related to drug dealing, but were also considering other motives.
She was the fourth U.S. citizen slain in Ciudad Juarez this month. Despite the presence of thousands of soldiers, the city is one of Mexico’s most violent, with more than 800 killings related to the drug trade this year.
Earlier, Veracruz state prosecutor Salvador Mikel said at least five people died Monday in several drug-related slayings in the Gulf coast port of Veracruz. A message pinned to one body warned police: “The war has hardly begun.”
Customs officials announced three major drug seizures that were made June 22:
—Nearly 1,000 pounds (450 kilos) of cocaine hidden in a shipment of tires from Colombia, found at the Pacific port of Manzan.
—More than 1,200 pounds (545 kilos) of marijuana, discovered in the border city of Nuevo Laredo.
—330 pounds (150 kilos) of pseudophedrine pills in a shipment of medical supplies from Bangladesh, stopped at Mexico City International Airport. Pseudophedrine, a chemical found in cold medicines, can be used to make methamphetamine and is banned in Mexico.
Related News
Bodies of 5 men shot to death found in landfill near Mexico's Pacific resort of AcapulcoSeptember 12th, 2009 5 bodies found dumped in landfill near AcapulcoACAPULCO, Mexico — Police have found the bodies of five men dumped in a landfill near the Mexican resort city of Acapulco. The Guerrero state Public Safety Department says the men had been shot to death and police officers found a note with the bodies signed "The boss of bosses."
A statement issued Saturday by the department says investigators also found at least 50 bullet casings and duct tape at the scene.
Gunmen kill leading lawmaker of state legislature in drug-plagued Mexican stateAugust 20th, 2009 Mexican state lawmaker killedACAPULCO, Mexico — Gunmen have killed the presiding lawmaker of the state legislature in a drug-plagued Mexican state. Guerrero state's public safety department says the body of leftist congressman Armando Chavarria was found early Thursday in the passenger seat of a vehicle in the state capital of Chilpancingo.
San Diego officials say they dismantled Mexican drug ring involved in 9 killingsAugust 13th, 2009 San Diego officials dismantle deadly drug ringSAN DIEGO — Authorities in San Diego say they've dismantled a ring of Mexican drug traffickers responsible for nine murders, including two where the victims' bodies were dissolved in acid. A county grand jury indictment was announced Thursday.
Mexico apologizes to Church after raid to nab drug suspect during Mass, but says necessaryAugust 5th, 2009 Mexico apologizes to Church after raid during MassMEXICO CITY — The Mexican government has apologized to Roman Catholic officials and parishioners after storming a church during Mass to arrest a drug suspect. But the Public Safety Department is standing by the decision to launch the raid, saying it was necessary to avoid a violent confrontation or escape.
3 bodies, 1 decapitated, found in irrigation ditch in northern Mexican border cityJuly 21st, 2009 3 bodies, 1 headless, found in ditch in MexicoCIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico — Three bodies, one of them headless, were found floating in an irrigation ditch Tuesday in a northern Mexican border city where drug violence has spiked despite the presence of thousands of soldiers. Firefighters fished the bodies from the ditch in Ciudad Juarez, a city across the border from El Paso, Texas.
12 Mexican off-duty federal agents slain in drug-plagued state after arrest of drug bossJuly 14th, 2009 12 Mexican off-duty federal agents slainMEXICO CITY — Mexico's national security spokesman says the 12 people tortured, slain and dumped along a mountain road were off-duty federal agents. Monte Alejandro Rubido says the 11 men and one woman were ambushed in drug-plagued Michoacan state.
Mexican find 4 hacked-up bodies in plastic bags in western MexicoJuly 9th, 2009 Mexican police find 4 mutilated bodies in bagsMORELIA, Mexico — Police in western Mexico found four mutilated bodies in plastic bags on the side of a highway Thursday. The officials found the bodies in the town of La Huacana after receiving reports of plastic bags leaking blood, according to a statement from prosecutors in the state of Michoacan, where the town is located.
Mexican police find at least 14 drug cartel victims' bodies in mass graveJuly 2nd, 2009 At least 14 bodies found in Mexico mass graveMEXICO CITY — Police said Wednesday that they have uncovered a mass grave in central Mexico with the remains of 14 or 15 people believed to have been executed by the Zetas drug gang. The remains found in Guanajuato state were so badly burned that officials were not immediately able to identify the number of victims, and it may be difficult to identify the dead.
Mexico detains 93 police on suspicion of taking money from gang of hit men for drug cartelsJune 29th, 2009 Mexico detains 93 police in corruption probeMEXICO CITY — Mexican prosecutors announced Sunday they have put 93 police officers and investigators under house arrest on suspicion of aiding the Zetas, a feared gang of hit men tied to the Gulf drug cartel. Corruption scandals have long plagued Mexican law enforcement, but the detentions represented one of the biggest single roundups of suspected officers in recent years.
Police find the bodies of 7 men beaten, shot to death in northern MexicoJune 17th, 2009 7 men beaten, shot to death in northern MexicoMEXICO CITY — Police have found the bodies of seven young men who were beaten or shot to death in the state of Durango in northern Mexico. At least three of the bodies had bullet wounds.
Gunmen in drug-plagued Mexican state kill 9 people, shoot horsesMay 10th, 2009 Gunmen kill 9 in western Mexico, shoot horsesMORELIA, Mexico — Gunmen killed nine people in three separate attacks in the Mexico's drug-plagued western state of Michoacan, authorities said Sunday. The state attorney general's office said gunmen broke into a ranch in a rural area and shot dead five employees, along with four horses and a bull.
Police: Drug traffickers in Mexican border city killed 3 missing women, dissolved bodiesMay 8th, 2009 Mexico: 3 missing women killed by traffickersTIJUANA, Mexico — Mexican police say three women who disappeared in the border city of Tijuana were killed by drug traffickers who dissolved their bodies in a caustic substance. Baja California state investigator Miguel Guerrero says the women — aged 23 to 25 — have been missing since August after they traveled from Mexicali to Tijuana, across from San Diego.
Police find 11 bodies thrown off bridge, ravine in southwestern MexicoMay 4th, 2009 Police find 11 bodies dumped in southern MexicoACAPULCO, Mexico — Police say they found 11 bodies dumped around a southern Mexican state, including seven wrapped in plastic bags and thrown off a bridge. Guerrero state police say the bodies of five men and two women were found in a river between the Pacific resort town of Acapulco and the city of Cuernavaca.
9 men found shot to death in and around Mexican resort of AcapulcoApril 25th, 2009 9 found dead in and around Mexican resortACAPULCO, Mexico — The bullet-riddled bodies of nine men were found Friday in and around the Mexican resort of Acapulco. Guerrero state police said in a statement that the bodies of five men were found in a sport utility vehicle parked near a highway connecting Acapulco and Zihuatenejo.
Eight bodies stuffed in trash bags found in MexicoDecember 24th, 2008 SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS - Police in southern Mexican state of Chiapas have found eight bodies stuffed in plastic garbage bags and dumped on a rural road near Guatemala border, EFE news agency reported Thursday. According to provincial Justice Minister Amador Rodriguez Lozano, five bodies were found Tuesday from a road side in Guadalupe Victoria town and the other three were found in the town of 20 de Noviembre.
Loading ...