Authorities say the dismembered remains of several people were discovered Thursday in an abandoned car in southern Mexico along with an intimidating message warning others that they could end up the same way.
A statement from the attorney general's office of Guerrero indicates that the severed heads of six men were discovered on top of a Volkswagen abandoned on a busy boulevard in the town of Chilapa de Alvarez, Reuters reported.
Eight black plastic bags containing the victims' dismembered remains were also found inside the vehicle, Newsweek reported.
Next to the vehicle, a warning sign was strung in the trees.
"In Chilapa selling crystal, kidnapping, extortion and stealing are strictly prohibited. This will happen to anyone who messes around. Capital punishment is the sentence for all these crimes," the sign said, according to Reuters.
Authorities have not yet identified the victims. Their remains were expected to be buried on Friday.
Violence in Mexico has been increasing in recent years with bodies displayed publicly as criminal gangs seek to intimidate their rivals. Since President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador took office in late 2018, average annual homicide totals are on track to be the highest ever, according to Reuters.
In Guerrero, where the town of Chilapa de Alvarez is located, authorities have found hidden graves holding dozens of bodies and a camp where where gunmen stored the severed heads of nine rivals in a cooler, CBS News reported.
In the neighboring state of Michoacán, 20 people were killed and several others were injured Sunday following a massacre at a cockfighting arena in Las Tinajas. The attack involved a confrontation between criminal groups, authorities said.
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