Body of notorious Mexican drug cartel founder dumped on highway with bullet holes

Mexican police discovered the body of Carlos Rosales Mendoza, founder and leader of the La Familia Michoacana cartel, near a highway in Michoacan on Monday. Mendoza founded La Familia Michoacana in 2000 after becoming involved in drug trafficking during the 1980s. less Mexican police discovered the body of Carlos Rosales Mendoza, founder and leader of the La Familia Michoacana cartel, near a highway in Michoacan on Monday. Mendoza founded La Familia Michoacana in 2000 after ... more Photo: DEA Photo: DEA Image 1 of / 66 Caption Close Body of notorious Mexican drug cartel founder dumped on highway with bullet holes 1 / 66 Back to Gallery

Mexican police discovered a body belonging to the founder of a prominent drug cartel riddled with bullet holes near a highway on Monday.

The Associated Press reported the body of Carlos Rosales Mendoza, founder and leader of the La Familia Michoacana cartel, was among four found dead in Michoacan.

Prosecutors believe Mendoza and the three other men were killed somewhere else before their bodies were dumped by the highway, according to the Associated Press report.

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Mendoza founded La Familia Michoacana in 2000 after becoming involved in drug trafficking during the 1980s.

According to BBC, the cartel's hitmen believe they have the "divine right" to kill, torture and dismember the criminal organization's foes.

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Authorities believe that Mendoza trained Servando Gómez Martínez, Enrique Plancarte Solís and Nazario Moreno González, all former members of La Familia Michoacana before they went on to head the Knights Templar cartel.

Mendoza was arrested in 2004 after he was accused of organizing an armed assault on a maximum-security prison to free a Gulf Cartel ally who was imprisoned there, BBC reported.

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