Cartel members tortured and beheaded nine men whose bodies were later dumped on the side of the road in the Mexican state of Guerrero. Separately, two off-duty Mexican marines were shot and killed with eight others in the resort town of Acapulco.
According to information released by the Guerrero State Prosecutor’s Office (Fiscalia del Estado) the bodies of the nine men were discovered on Sunday afternoon along a road leading to the town of Tixtla, about 100 kilometers north of the famous beach resort area of Acapulco.
The nine bodies exhibited obvious signs of torture with the severed remains placed partially inside burlap bags. The bodies also had a cartel banner nearby, though the message was not made public. According to state officials, the violence in the area is tied to rival drug trafficking gangs who have been fighting for control of lucrative drug distribution routes.
Also over the weekend, two Mexican marines who were among 10 victims gunned down in or near Acapulco, a once calm beach resort area that has become a battleground for cartel factions. The two marines had been assigned to the local military station and were both 27 years old.
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