Drug wars in Mexico - in pictures

A drug tunnel found along the Mexico/US border in January 2006. The tunnel exit was at a warehouse in Otay Mesa, California. The 750 metre tunnel was furnished with lighting, ventilation and equipment to pump out ground water Photograph: Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images

A member of Mexico's federal investigative agency guards drugs suspects during an anti-narcotics operation in Madero, Mexico City, in May 2007 Photograph: Daniel Aguilar/Reuters

The bodies of 13 men who had their hands tied before being shot are found in a field near the town of San Ignacio, Sinaloa, in December 2008 Photograph: Anonymous/AP

Soldiers carry coffins during the funeral of six members of Mexico's army in Chilpancingo in December 2008. Twelve decapitated bodies were found and seven were identified as soldiers Photograph: Claudio Cruz/AP

The body of an alleged drug dealer is covered by a sheet after he was shot in front of his house in Tijuana in September 2009 Photograph: Guillermo Arias/AP

A soldier stands near guns and ammunition seized along with chemicals to make synthetic drugs during an operation in Apatzingan, Michoacan state, in October 2009. It was the same operation that led to the capture of Francisco Perez, alias El Lobo, aka the Wolf Photograph: Guillermo Perea/EPA

Police markers indicate the locations of bullet casings as a man lies dead in the street after being shot in Juarez in March 2010 Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

A member of the Mexican navy stands in front of the bodies of two alleged drug traffickers. They were killed in a shootout at the Costa Azul hotel in Acapulco in March 2010 Photograph: Pedro Pardo/AFP/Getty Images

Mexican security forces stand guard over 105 tonnes of drugs, wrapped in 10,000 packages – many featuring an image of cartoon character Homer Simpson – in Tijuana in October 2010
Photograph: KeystoneUSA-ZUMA/Rex Features

A soldier stands guards in front of packages of marijuana being incinerated in Tijuana in October 2010 Photograph: Guillermo Arias/AP

The handle of a gun seized by the Mexican army in November 2010 in Mexico City is decorated with an image of a drug dealer Photograph: MCT via Getty Images

The bound feet of a man murdered in Acapulco in February 2011 Photograph: Pedro Pardo/AFP/Getty Images

Demonstrators march under a banner with a message reading 'No More Blood' on the streets of Mexico City in May 2011. Thousands of Mexicans marched to protest the wave of killing that had claimed 38,000 lives since President Felipe Calderon launched his war on drug gangs Photograph: Reuters

A hit man is presented to the media after a raid on a criminal camp near Montemorelos, Nuevo León, in May 2011 Photograph: Tomas Bravo/Reuters

A necklace with a pendant of Santa Muerte – Saint Death – is seen on a dead gunman in Yurecuaro, Michoacan, in October 2011. Four gunmen died in a shootout with the military, as did an innocent woman
Photograph: Reuters

Suspected members of the Caballeros Templarios gang are shown to the media, along with seized weapons, in Morelia in November 2011 Photograph: /Reuters

Relatives and friends light candles in August 2012 to mark the anniversary of the deaths of 54 people killed by criminals. They died in Monterrey when gunmen of the Zetas drug cartel attacked the Casino Royale Photograph: /Reuters

Ivan Velazquez Caballero – the alleged leader of a faction of the violent Zetas cartel, known as El Taliban – is shown during a media presentation in Mexico City in September 2012 Photograph: Eduardo Verdugo/AP

Dr Maria Santos Gorrostieta, who was beaten to death by a Mexican drug gang in November 2012. The 36-year-old had survived previous assassination attempts during her time as major of Tiquicheo, a small town in the Mexican state of Michoacán, from 2008 to 2011. Several violent drug trafficking organisations are active in the area Photograph: Agencia el Universal/AP

A photograph of Mexico's president Felipe Calderon is daubed with red paint during a demonstration at the Estela de Luz monument in Mexico City in November 2012 Photograph: Edgard Garrido/Reuters