Video circulated on social media shows a dog running down a street in Mexico holding a human head in its jaws.
The video was taken in Monte Escobedo in the state of Zacatecas in central Mexico, according to The Associated Press.
Citing a “law enforcement official who was not authorized to be quoted by name,” AP reported that the head and other body parts had been left in an ATM booth on the night of Oct. 26.
In the video, someone can be heard saying, “Lleva una cabeza humana este perro,” which translates to “This dog has a human head,” in English.
Authorities later captured the dog, according to Mexican news outlet Aristegui Noticias.
Before the dog ran off with the head, someone had reported finding it at the ATM, which is located just yards from an official government building, along with a backpack and bloodied notes, according to El Sol de Zacatecas.
A message on the notes made reference to a drug cartel, AP reported.
Zacatecas, a state with a population of nearly 1.6 million, has been the site of a turf war between drug cartels and has been experiencing mounting violence in recent years.
During the first 10 months of 2021, at least 948 people were killed by violence in the state — 342 more than the same period in 2020, according to Al Jazeera.
Two major drug cartels, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, have been warring for control of profitable drug-smuggling routes in Zacatecas, according to CBS News.
In February, 16 bodies were found in two different cities in the state of Zacatecas, Al Jazeera reported. In September, six police officers in the state were attacked and killed by gunmen, CBS News reported.
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