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AP - Mexican police say they have found the headless bodies of 14 men outside a shopping center in the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco.

Police in the southern state of Guerrero, where Acapulco is located, said handwritten signs were left with the bodies, a common calling card of Mexico's cartels.

Acapulco has seen bloody turf battles between drug gangs in recent years.

The bodies were found in an area not frequented by tourists. The victims all appeared to be in their 20s.

It was the largest single group of decapitation victims in recent years.

In 2008, a group of 12 decapitated bodies were piled outside the Yucatan state capital of Merida. The same year, 9 headless men were found in the Guerrero state capital of Chilpancingo.

In keeping with a policy designed not to give the cartels publicity, state police did not release the text of the messages found with the bodies.

But Reforma newspaper reported that they referred to the Sinaloa cartel, headed by drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

Reforma said they apparently indicated the victims were killed by the Sinaloa cartel for trying to intrude on the gang's turf and extort residents.

At least 30,196 people have died in drug-related violence since President Felipe Calderon launched an offensive against cartels in late 2006.

Also Saturday, authorities said a small-town mayor was found dead in northern Mexico.

Saul Vara Rivera, mayor of the municipality of Zaragoza, was reported missing by family members Wednesday, Coahuila state prosecutors said in a statement. His bullet-ridden body was discovered Friday in neighboring Nuevo Leon state.

There were no immediate arrests.

At least a dozen mayors were killed nationwide last year in acts of intimidation attributed to drug gangs.



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Acapulco seems to be every bit as violent as the border cities....except Cd. Juarez. Why there I wonder?.

There is a fight for control of the territory. It became more of a free-for-all once the head of the Familia Michoacana called it quits...

Originally Posted by BajaGringo

There is a fight for control of the territory. It became more of a free-for-all once the head of the Familia Michoacana called it quits...

I know they're not getting along too well, but what's so strategic about Alcapulco?

Could be a number of reasons. Such as being a big city where it's easy to disappear. It's also a port city. It's not very far from Mexico City. And although I suppose that things could change, it stands out as probably the singular resort city in Mexico that has anything near this level of violence. And, as a resort, unlike decades ago, Acapulco has morphed into a resort for Mexicans versus foreign tourists. So, the violence there has nowhere the affect on foreign tourism as would happen if this was happening in Cancun or Cabo. JMO.

15 beheaded of 23 dead in Acapulco: police ....... and update

Terrible news... what in the world do they do with the heads?

Originally Posted by Bob H

Terrible news... what in the world do they do with the heads?

Good question. Not like you are going to put it on your mantle or coffee table as a conversation piece...

Don't know about you guys.. would put the fear of God into me... if they found 23 bodies here in Mission Viejo CA.. with 15 of them with their heads cut off...

Think it has to do with a making a "sign" of disrespect and a signature from a certain organization" to the deceased... and their alleged association.. we saw what happen to those guys (20) that were mistakenly "whacked" ... sad...