Seven people found tortured and executed in Mexico

Police discovered seven dead bodies on Thursday (April 12) morning in and around the Mexican port city of Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan.Placed on the bodies were hand-written messages threatening rival drug cartels. According to authorities, the men were bound with tape, tortured, and had their heads covered with black trash bags before being executed with gunshots to the head.The bodies of the unidentified men-- who police believe were all between 20 and 35 years of age-- were left at three different locations near the port city.Michoacan, which is President Felipe Calderons home state, has been relatively calm since police killed the leader of the La Familia cartel in December 2010.The state had been plagued with violence as rival gangs fought over lucrative methamphetamine trafficking routes and vast marijuana fields.Nationally, drug violence has killed more than 50,000 people since President Felipe Calderon launched an army-led crackdown on drug cartels and organised crime after taking office five years ago.