World

Seven bodies found in vehicle in Acapulco

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ACAPULCO: Police inMexico found seven bodies dumped in a vehicle in the Pacific beach resort city ofAcapulco, along with an apparent message from drug traffickers, a legal official said Tuesday.

The gruesome discovery, on Monday, followed a car chase and shootout between police and occupants of the vehicle whose driver ignored a command to stop, said the official from the Guerrero state prosecutor's office.

The vehicle was later abandoned with the seven bodies inside, along with an unspecified message apparently from a drug gang, he added, declining to be named. The identities of the victims were not yet known.

The killings occurred as thousands of tourists were visiting the legendary beach resort during Easter holidays.

Acapulcois one of the worst-hit cities in drug-related violence blamed for more than 50,000 deaths inMexicoin the past five years.

Gangland-style killings, kidnappings and extortion have risen amid a military offensive on organized crime launched by President Felipe Calderon in December 2006.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2012