Violent Gang Activity in Monterrey: Discovered Depositions of Bodies Shake Mexico's Economic Hub

In the city of Monterrey in northern Mexico, the brutal remains of around a dozen individuals were discovered scattered in various locations on Tuesday. Disturbing messages were found alongside the remains, indicating that the victims were murdered as part of an internal cleansing within a criminal gang. Monterrey is not only a significant industrial and business hub in Mexico but also home to numerous major corporations. Just earlier this year, Tesla announced its plans to establish a large car factory in the city by 2024. Interestingly, the grim findings of dismembered bodies at seven different sites across Monterrey have come after a decline in violence in recent years. In the early 2010s, several drug cartels battled for control over the city, resorting to ghastly tactics such as hanging bodies from bridges and leaving body parts near signs cautioning their rivals. According to local media reports, the remains discovered on Tuesday were accompanied by indications of potential cartel infiltration. The messages found were signed by the Cartel del Noreste (Northeast Cartel). While law enforcement did not officially confirm the accuracy of the messages, they attributed the gruesome disposal of the bodies to a cartel operating in the neighboring state of Tamaulipas. It is believed that the Northeast Cartel originated from the Zetas crime syndicate and is headquartered in Tamaulipas. Their leader, Juan Gerardo Treviño Chávez, was apprehended by Mexican security forces in March 2022 and extradited to the United States. Since then, rival gangs seem to have attempted to infiltrate the now leaderless cartel. Aside from engaging in drug trafficking activities, the Northeast Cartel terrorizes migrants in Nuevo Laredo and Tamaulipas state, its main stronghold. It frequently kidnaps migrants who are en route to the United States through Mexico, demanding large sums of money from their families for their safe release.