According to the Mexican authorities, Elizondo ran the Zetas trafficking operations in the northeast town of
On May 13, 49 decapitated and mutilated bodies were discovered by a highway 18 miles outside of
Each corpse’s head, hands and feet were removed so Mexican police must rely on DNA analysis to identify the victims. The authorities noted that there has been no indication of recent mass disappearances in the northeast region. Therefore, it is likely that the victims were migrants to the United States crossing through
The Zetas drug cartel was formed by members of the special forces who left the Mexican army in 1998 forgoing public service to work as hitmen for drug traffickers. Over time, they split off to form the their own group. In addition to drug trafficking, they also engage in extortion, kidnapping, robbery, and theft of crude oil. The Zetas are considered the most violent of the narco cartels and operate throughout Mexico.
Several parts of Mexico witnessed an intensified turf war between rival drug cartels over the past few weeks. In addition to the May 13 massacre, some of the recent atrocities include the decapitation of 18 victims near the southwestern city of Guadalajara, and the hanging of nine people from a bridge near the city Nuevo Laredo, near the border with Texas.