Mexican state of Sinaloa reports 14 murders in one day – FBC News

(Source: Reuters)

At least 14 people have been killed in one day in the Mexican state of Sinaloa amid a wave of violence following drug trafficker Ismael. “El Mayo” Zambada’s arrest in the USA.

Most of Saturday’s killings occurred in Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa state, according to the state attorney general’s office.

The prosecutor’s office said in a statement Sunday that it had opened 10 investigations into the killings of 14 people.

In recent months, fighting in Culiacan between criminal gangs vying for control of the territory has disrupted daily life and forced the closure of businesses and schools.

Violence erupted in the Pacific coast state following the late July arrest of Sinaloa cartel leader Zambada after he was airlifted to an airstrip in Texas and promptly taken into custody by US authorities.

Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has sent hundreds of troops with armored trucks and powerful weapons to Sinaloa to try to contain the violence, but clashes continue.

On Saturday, authorities said refrigerators containing human remains, including a head, were found in parts of Sinaloa with emblems referencing disputed gangs.

On Tuesday, 19 suspected gang members were killed and one local cartel leader was arrested in a shootout on the outskirts of Culiacan.

Between September 9 and October 18, at least 172 people were killed and more than 200 were missing.