A Mexican gang war has left 16 people dead, with 10 of the bodies wrapped in blankets and left abandoned in the streets of Mexico on Saturday.

According to Daily Mail, the 10 bodies were found on the streets of Fresnillo municipality in the state of Zacatecas. State prosecutor Francisco Murillo said the six other bodies were discovered hanging in a warehouse in the nearby Panfilo Natera community.

Zacatecas has become the latest territory being fought for control by various Mexican drug cartels in Mexico, with Jalisco Cartel battling with the Sinaloa Cartel for synthetic drug production.

None of the 16 bodies have been identified. However, police noted that the victims were all males. 

Reuters reported that authorities had already arrested two people transporting a separate body the day beforehand. Murillo said the two suspects are now under investigation into the 16 other murders.

Zacatecas state governor David Monreal Avila blamed Operation Zacatecas II, implemented by the state and federal government, for the recent wave of violence in the state. 

Avila noted that the operation had decreased crimes, but it also escalated violence due to confrontation between organized crime groups.

Meanwhile, a Twitter user with handle @DavidWolf777 slammed Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's "hugs, not bullets" policy. The user noted that the policy "has the country under unprecedented levels of violence."

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Violence in Mexico's Zacatecas State

In the first 10 months of 2021, at least 948 people were killed due to the rampant violence in Zacatecas. Official data noted that this was 342 more than in the same period the previous year, Aljazeera reported.

In January, 10 murdered bodies were left in front of the governor's office in Zacatecas. The bodies were composed of eight men and two women, who were crammed into a pickup truck left before dawn near a Christmas tree in the main plaza.

Avila said he was starting his work when he was informed about the bodies, CBS News reported. The governor added that the bodies were apparently beaten and were with wounds.

Turf Wars Between Mexican Drug Cartels in Mexico's Zacatecas State

Officials said Mexican drug cartels have been battling for control of the state since Zacatecas is a key transit point for drugs.

Security experts noted that Zacatecas was crucial in transporting fentanyl from Mexico's South Pacific ports to the U.S. border. Zacatecas reportedly links the center and west of Mexico to the U.S. border, a key territory for drug-trafficking routes.

Aside from the Jalisco cartel and Sinaloa Cartel, the Gulf Cartel, Northeast Cartel, and the Los Talibanes also reportedly operate in Zacatecas state. All five crime organizations are involved in the operations of trafficking fentanyl and other illegal drugs.

Security experts said an unprecedented wave of violence had enveloped the streets of Zacatecas as the Mexican drug cartels fought over the territory.

Mexican drug cartels usually make public displays of bodies to taunt their rivals or authorities. It is also sometimes used to scare local residents.

The Jalisco cartel or the Jalisco Cartel New Generation is currently the Sinaloa Cartel's main rival. The Jalisco cartel is being led by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known by his alias "El Mencho," according to an InsightCrime report.

The Sinaloa Cartel is reportedly not a hierarchical structure as its leaders like Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada all maintained their own separate but cooperating organizations.

The Jalisco cartel came out from the Sinaloa Cartel in 2010 after the death of former Sinaloa Cartel capo Ignacio Coronel, known as "Nacho," who was killed by Mexican security forces. Nacho's death resulted in the split into two factions - "La Resistencia" and "Torcidos" - of the Sinaloa Cartel. 

The "Torcidos" became what is now the Jalisco cartel, which has since expanded rapidly in Mexico. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel or Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) involves itself in many criminal activities, including international drug trafficking.

READ MORE: Mexico: 2 Bodies Found Hanging From Bridge, 3 Police Officers Killed as Mexican Drug Cartels Battle for Territory

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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