Nineteen bodies were found near a Mexican town on the US border that has seen a number of gang-related conflicts in recent years.
The bodies, which had been shot and burned, were discovered on a dirt road near the town of Camargo, across the Rio Grande from Texas, after complaints from locals about a burning vehicle, the bureau said. of the Tamaulipas State Prosecutor.
Authorities found two vehicles on fire – one containing 15 bodies and the other four.
All the bodies had been shot, but no shells were found nearby, leading authorities to believe they had been killed elsewhere.
An official said the murders took place on Friday, but residents were too afraid to report them.
Camargo has faced a high number of drug and migrant smuggling incidents in recent years, with gangs trying to gain control of large swathes of the border in an attempt to earn money on items in transit.
Historically, the city has been ruled by the Gulf Cartel, but in recent years has faced competition from the Northeast Cartel, which is trying to take over.
In January last year, 21 bodies were found in vehicles near the nearby town of Ciudad Mier, as the Mexican military killed 11 suspected gunmen days later.
Nineteen bodies have been found near a Mexican town on the US border which has seen a number of gang-related disputes in recent years https://t.co/7WW3HeSSg0
— Sky News (@SkyNews) January 25, 2021