TJ violence blamed on two drug gangs

By Sandra Dibble, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:48 p.m.

Five victims were shot inside a seafood restaurant, four were decapitated, one was shot and hung 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 on Tuesday and Wednesday. 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€