19 burnt bodies found near Mexican-American border town

CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (AP) – Mexican authorities say they have found 19 bodies shot dead near a city across the Rio Grande from Texas in an area that has seen violent territorial disputes between organized crime groups in recent years.

The state prosecutor in Tamaulipas said late Saturday that the bodies were discovered along a dirt road outside Camargo after residents reported a burning vehicle. Authorities found two vehicles on fire, one with four bodies and the other 15.

All were shot, but shells were not found at the site, which led investigators to believe they were dead somewhere else.

A Camargo official, who asked for security reasons to be anonymous, said the killings took place on Friday, but people were afraid to report it.

Camargo is a major smuggling crossing point for drugs and migrants. Organized crime groups want control over parts of the border because they make money from everything that crosses the border.

Camargo is near the edge of the area historically controlled by the Gulf Cartel, and in recent years a remnant of the Zetas known for trying to take over the Northeast Cartel has taken over.

In January 2020, 21 bodies, most of which were cremated, were found in various vehicles near the neighboring city of Ciudad Mier. Days later, the Mexican army killed 11 suspected gunmen in the area.