Authorities in central Mexico have launched an investigation after six severed heads were discovered early Tuesday morning along a road linking the usually peaceful states of Puebla and Tlaxcala. The gruesome find shocked residents in a region not typically associated with the brutal cartel violence that plagues other parts of the country.
According to local reports, police responding to the scene found a blanket bearing a threatening message addressed to rival gangs, allegedly signed by a group calling itself La Barredora (“The Sweeper”). While a criminal organization by the same name has been known to operate in the western state of Guerrero, it remains unclear whether the group was responsible for the Tlaxcala killings or why they would target this area.
The local prosecutor’s office confirmed that the heads belonged to men and said it had opened a formal investigation. No details have yet been provided regarding the victims’ identities or whether their bodies have been recovered. Federal authorities have so far declined to comment.
Beyond drug trafficking, Puebla and Tlaxcala have long grappled with fuel smuggling, known locally as huachicoleo. The lucrative trade generates billions of dollars annually and has been a source of violent clashes between organized criminal groups competing for control of pipelines and transport routes.
The discovery comes as President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration intensifies its crackdown on fentanyl trafficking, a major concern for both Mexico and the United States. While Puebla and Tlaxcala are not known for the large-scale violence seen in cartel hotspots such as Sinaloa, Michoacán, or Guanajuato, Tuesday’s killings underscore how criminal networks are spreading their influence into previously calmer regions.
Recent months have seen a rise in mass killings across Mexico. In June, 20 bodies, including four decapitated victims, were found in Sinaloa, while in May, seven youths were gunned down during a Catholic church festivity in Guanajuato.
Since the Mexican government first deployed the military against cartels in 2006, violence has surged, leaving hundreds of thousands dead and tens of thousands missing. The latest killings in Tlaxcala highlight the continued grip of organized crime and the challenges facing authorities in restoring security across the nation.
