Eight individuals were killed or were found dead in separate incidents in drug or gang violence in the northern Mexican border state of Tamaulipas since Monday, according to official Mexican news reports.
According to a news release posted on the website of the Tamaulipas state government, one man was killed by a Mexican Army patrol last Thursday in Ciudad Vitoria, the state capital of Tamaulipas.
The incident took place near the intersection of Avenida Jose Sulaiman Chagnon and Calle Carlos Adrian Aviles in La Paz colony.
Armed suspects were observed by a Mexican Army patrol, which attempted a traffic stop. According to the report, the armed suspects opened fire on the soldiers. Army return fire hit and killed one suspect.
Two other suspects were detained at the scene and were identified as Daniel Rafael Martinez Gonzalez, 24, and Juan Ramon Alvarez Jaramillo, 30. Soldiers also seized one rifle, one weapons magazine and 27 rounds of ammunition.
Three days before, a Tamaulipas state police agent was killed in Ciudad Victoria as he was dining at a seafood restaurant. The agent was identified in the official news release as Omar Oswaldo Nava Gil. The news release failed to detail how Nava Gil died.
On Monday in Nuevo Laredo, two inmates were killed in a prison brawl, according to a separate news release. The victims were identified as Jorge Gonzalez Gomez, 21, and Luis Eduardo Corral Oropeza, 28. Both men had been admitted to the Nuevo Laredo Centro de Ejecucion de Sanciones (CEDES) only the day before.
Three inmates, identified as Humberto Lopez Perez, 32, Valentin Casas Franco, 26, and Vidal Gutierrez Chavez, 28, were said to have committed the murder, which was the result of a "personal grudge".
A second prison brawl took place on Thursday, this time at the Centro de Ejecución de Sanciones (CEDES) in Ciudad Victoria.
According to the data supplied, Carlos Palacios Ramirez, 39, and Edgar Villafuerte Cabriales, 28, were attacked by two other inmates using a makeshift knife. Both victims were serving time for murder.
Two other inmates, identified as Arturo Valdez Loera, 29, and Rodolfo Solis Rodriguez, 28, were said to have confessed to the crime.
Finally, the Tamaulipas Procuraduria General de Justicia del Estado (PGJE) or attorney general reported finding at least two dead in separate graves.
In Gomez Farias charred remains, presumably of an unidentified woman were found in a field, along with articles of women's clothing on January 31st.
Meanwhile in El Mante municipality, charred remains were found in a creek bed in ejido El Abra, also with articles of women's clothing, February 12th.
Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com and BorderlandBeat.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com