Man’s head with threatening drug cartel message found in Mexican town square

Man’s head found in Mexican town square

MORELIA, Mexico — Mexican authorities say a man’s head and a threatening message referring to a drug cartel have been found on a town square.

Prosecutors in central Michoacan state say the head was left on a tree-lined plaza in the town of Quiroga on Wednesday. The message found with the head mentioned La Familia, a cartel based in Michoacan.

Investigators are performing DNA tests to determine whether the head and a headless body found 60 miles (100 kilometers) away belong to the same person.

Drug violence has killed more than 15,000 people throughout Mexico since President Felipe Calderon launched a crackdown on cartels in late 2006.

In May, eight mayors in Michoacan were charged with allegedly protecting La Familia.