About a dozen bodies were found Tuesday scattered around northern Mexico’s industrial hub of Monterrey and its suburbs, including some of the country’s wealthiest neighborhoods.
Prosecutors in the state of Nuevo Leon did not give a final tally of the death toll because some of the bodies were found in pieces or thrown in plastic bags.
However, prosecutors confirmed that at least seven bodies were found, as well as five bags of body parts.
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Dismembered bodies were found near the industrial center of Monterrey, Mexico. (Fox News)
Gerardo Palacios, the chief security official of Nuevo Leon state, said the killings appeared to be related to an internal dispute within a drug cartel based in neighboring Tamaulipas state. The Gulf and Northeast Gulf cartels operate there, but he did not specify which he was referring to.
“What we’re seeing here is an internal purge within an organized crime group based in Tamaulipas, due to some acts of disloyalty within the group,” Palacios said.
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Drug cartels in Mexico often leave dismembered bodies on the streets, often with banners threatening officials or rival gangs.
The gruesome discovery came a day after drug cartel banners were removed across the city. It contrasts with Monterey’s recent reputation for success after being chosen as the site of a new Tesla car factory.
Monterey suffered waves of drug cartel violence in the 2010s, but had become more peaceful until Tuesday’s events.
