20 Killed in Cartel Violence as Decapitated Bodies Found Hanging from Bridge in Mexico

MEXICO – A wave of cartel-related violence claimed 20 lives in Culiacán, Sinaloa, on Monday, June 30, including the discovery of four decapitated bodies hanging from a freeway bridge.

Authorities said the victims’ heads were found in a plastic bag nearby, alongside a note that included the chilling phrase: “WELCOME TO THE NEW SINALOA.”

This violence is part of an ongoing conflict between two rival factions of the Sinaloa Cartel—Los Chapitos, led by the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, and the group known as La Mayiza.

Local officials also found 16 additional male victims with gunshot wounds in a van parked along the same highway, one of whom was also decapitated.

Residents of Culiacán face daily fear, with schools closing during outbreaks of violence and armed men visibly monitoring the streets.

Authorities believe Los Chapitos may have even aligned with their former enemies, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, in an effort to win the internal conflict.

“This level of violence shows we must reevaluate our strategy,” said Sinaloa government spokesperson