Six individuals found dead in Acapulco, four narco-laboratories destroyed in Sinaloa on October 11

Reports indicate that on October 11 six individuals were found dead in Acapulco, in the Guerrero State. Some had their hands and feet tied, another one had a wire around his neck. Other incidents were also reported in Guanajuato and Sinaloa. In Guanajuato human limbs were found in a street in the Salamanca locale, reportedly belonging to two men. Local press published a picture of a hand-written sign at the scene with the initials of Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). In Apaseo, also in Guanajuato, a group of armed men killed the local director of Traffic and Transport Police, Santos Alonso Cerritos. The incident took place hours after he took office. The victim was appointed by Major Carmen Ortiz, who took office last week. Noteworthily, her husband was originally running for the mayoral position, but he was killed on May 11. Meanwhile, in Sinaloa, Mexican marines found four narco-laboratories northwest of Culiacán, containing 1.400 liters of synthetic drugs, equipment for production. In August security services found 90 tons of synthetic drugs in Sinaloa.

These incidents underscore the worsening state of security in Guerrero, Guanajuato, and Sinaloa, which are among Mexico’s most violent states. Despite periodical intervention from federal police and security services in these states, positive results are not expected in the short-term. This is mostly due to ongoing clashes between cartels competing for influence and territory, including Santa Rosa, the CJNG, and other gangs who assault politicians resisting extortion or pledging to fight against crime. For instance, at least 145 local politicians were assassinated during Mexico’s recent electoral campaign. In all, these instances highlight the need for procuring dedicated security services while operating in these states.