Mexico: 12 people die in wave of violence
At least 12 people were found killed in a wave of violence across Mexico after police found Colombian drug-dealer Omar Gallego had been beaten to death here.

The Federal District Attorney General's office said the authorities found Thursday evening the body of Gallego, 45, insidea Mercedes Benz van abandoned in a street south of this capital.

With this death, the number of killed individuals related to organized crime in different parts of the country rose to 12.

Forensic experts said the luxury van in which Gallego was founddead had been parked for hours in the San Pedro de los Pinos neighborhood, south of the city.

Gallego had been imprisoned for drug-trafficking in 1989 in this country.

The officials said "the cause of the assassination" is still under investigation.

Also on Thursday, the bodies of three women and two men killed by bullet and showing signs of torture were found in the northwest Sinaloa State. Local police said the deaths were results of a vendetta among drugpushers.