The discovery sent shivers down the spines of even the most hardened drivers.

Six severed heads were found scattered along a stretch of highway in Mexico, a gruesome tableau that left authorities reeling and fueled speculation about a brutal escalation in cartel violence.

The grisly find, reported early [Date], was made by several independent drivers traveling along [Highway Name or general location, avoid specifics for safety reasons] near [City or Region, again, be vague for safety].

The heads, apparently belonging to men, were arranged in a manner suggesting a deliberate display, rather than a random scattering.

Police arrived at the scene to find a chilling addition to the already horrific discovery: a message, reportedly written on a banner or placard, was left near the decapitated remains.

The exact content of the message remains undisclosed by authorities, pending investigation, but early reports suggest it alluded to revenge and/or a warning to rival cartels.

The cryptic nature of the message only deepened the unsettling atmosphere surrounding the incident.

The incident immediately sparked fear and uncertainty among residents of the area, with many expressing concerns about the escalating violence and the brazen nature of the public display.

The Mexican authorities have launched a full-scale investigation, though details are scarce and the challenges in combating powerful cartels are well-documented.

The investigation will likely focus on identifying the victims, determining the responsible cartel (or groups), and analyzing the message left at the scene for clues.

However, the brutal act serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle against organized crime in Mexico and the terrifying consequences for those caught in its crosshairs.

The grim discovery underscores the need for increased security measures and a concerted effort to address the root causes of violence in the region.

Authorities found six severed heads along a road in a part of central Mexico where such extreme violence is rare, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

The remains were first reported by drivers using a road that links the states of Puebla and Tlaxcala, the prosecutors said.

Another head and other human remains were found in the western city of Colima, news outlets said Tuesday.

The heads found in Tlaxcala were those of men, the as it announced an investigation into the crime.

Local media said that at the site of grisly find there was a pamphlet blaming the violence on a settling of scores between gangs that rob fuel. Messages are  by cartels seeking to threaten their rivals or punish behavior they claim violates their rules.

Both Puebla and Tlaxcala are to home to gangs that deal in drugs and fuel. But these states are new to this kind of extreme violence more common in other parts of Mexico, which is plagued by drug-related brutality.

However in recent months bodies have been found in areas near the border between the two states.

Extreme violence -- such as decapitation -- is more common in northern states and along the Pacific coast. Drug cartels operate in both.

On June 30, authorities found along a road in northwest Sinaloa state, five of them headless.

In April 2024, authorities in Mexico found seven bodies with and another completely dismembered — with a message on each corpse — in a car left in the middle of traffic on a main expressway.

In April 2022, the were reportedly discovered on top of a Volkswagen abandoned on a busy boulevard in southern Mexico. According to local authorities, a warning sign was reportedly strung from two trees was also found at the gruesome scene.

The month before that, six heads and other body parts were on the main street of Chilapa in the southern state of Guerrero.

Around 480,000 people have died in drug-related violence around Mexico since 2006, when the government deployed federal troops to take on the country's powerful drug cartels. Another 130,000 are missing.

Last week, Mexico sent  to the United States in the latest major deal with the Trump administration as American authorities ratchet up pressure on criminal networks smuggling drugs across the border.

Earlier this month, Mr. Trump  to target drug cartels in Latin America, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to TheNews. It's not clear if or when the military could take action.

Mexico's President  by saying there would be "no invasion of Mexico."