Finding four human heads a sign of Mexico cartel's reprisals

Four human heads were reportedly discovered Thursday in Michoacan state, one of several recent incidents that suggest the Knights Templar drug cartel may be lashing out as the federal government and vigilante groups attempt to retake territory under cartel control. The heads were found in the indigenous community of Zacan, about 200 miles west of Mexico City, according to numerous news reports. The newspaper El Universal reported that a "message with threats from organized crime" was found along with the body parts. Two other human heads were discovered Monday in Antunez, south of Zacan. Zacan and Antunez are among numerous communities in Michoacan where vigilante autodefensas, or self-defense groups, have established a presence in an effort to drive out the Knights Templar. Last month, after the vigilantes threatened to descend on a key cartel stronghold, the Mexican federal government sent in thousands of troops and police in an effort to keep the peace. Meanwhile, the states around Michoacan have been stepping up security in anticipation of the "cucaracha effect" — that is, increased violence as Michoacan-based cartel members scurry away from the increased federal presence there...more