Drug war surges in Tijuana: 24 dead in 2 days

24 of 71 so far this month occur in past two days

By Sandra Dibble, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
December 17, 2009 at 12:11 a.m.

TIJUANA DEATHS BY THE NUMBERS

24: Murders Tuesday and yesterday

71: Murders in December

603: Murders in 2009, as of yesterday

844: Murders in 2008

TIJUANA — Five victims were shot inside a seafood restaurant, four were decapitated and one was shot and hanged from a bridge. A surge in gangland-style killings in Tijuana is being linked to two rival drug-trafficking groups vying for control of the region.

Since the weekend, the death toll has been mounting rapidly: Of 71 homicides reported so far this month, 24 took place Tuesday and yesterday. Many recent victims were men in their 20s, though the youngest was 14 and the oldest appeared to be close to 60, authorities said.

“We are witnessing a war between drug traffickers,â€