Four decapitated bodies were found hanging from a bridge in the capital of western Mexico's Sinaloa state on Monday, part of a surge of cartel violence that killed 20 people in less than a day, authorities said.

Violence has soared in Sinaloa since the capture in the U.S. of cartel co-founder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada almost a year ago.

The grim reality of Mexico's escalating cartel violence was underscored on Monday as four decapitated bodies were found hanging from a bridge in Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa state. This horrific discovery comes amidst a surge of bloodshed that has claimed nearly 20 lives in less than 24 hours, according to authorities.