Overview

• Authorities found four headless corpses by the roadside, 16 bodies inside an abandoned vehicle, and five severed heads in a bag at a highway bridge near Culiacán.
• A note, apparently from one of the warring factions, was left with the bodies but its contents have not been disclosed.
• The killings represent the latest escalation in the violent struggle between La Mayiza, loyal to Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, and Los Chapitos, led by Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán’s sons.
• Official figures show more than 1,200 cartel-related deaths since the conflict began in September 2024.
• Despite joint operations by the military and police, residents say security forces have lost control of the violence across Sinaloa.