Authorities in Mexico have discovered twenty bodies, several of which were decapitated, on a highway bridge in a region plagued by violence between factions of the Sinaloa cartel. The Sinaloa state prosecutor’s office reported that four headless corpses were located by the roadside, while sixteen others were found inside an abandoned vehicle. Additionally, five severed heads were discovered in a bag at the scene. All victims exhibited signs of gunshot wounds.
Local reports indicated that the four decapitated bodies may have been displayed hanging from the bridge, a notorious tactic employed by criminal gangs. However, this detail has not been officially confirmed. At the site, authorities also noted that the bodies were accompanied by a note that appears to have come from one of the cartel factions, although the specifics of the note have not been revealed. Feliciano Castro, spokesperson for the Sinaloa government, expressed outrage over the brutal killings and emphasized the need for a reassessment of the government’s approach to combating organized crime, given the escalating violence.
Castro stated that military and police forces are collaborating to restore peace in Sinaloa. Violence in the northwestern state has surged since the arrest of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, one of the cartel’s co-founders, nearly a year ago in the United States. This conflict has resulted in over 1,200 deaths, mostly between factions aligned with Zambada and those loyal to the infamous Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and his sons, collectively known as the “Chapitos.” The Chapitos have been linked to gruesome methods of torture, including electrocution and the feeding of rivals to tigers, as detailed in recent U.S. Justice Department indictments.
In recent months, the appearance of bodies has become commonplace across Sinaloa, often presented in macabre ways. The ongoing criminal violence, predominantly tied to drug trafficking, has led to approximately 480,000 deaths in Mexico since 2006, with over 120,000 individuals reported missing.