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5 bodies found piled in bulletproof SUV in Mexico, 7 others discovered near U.S. border
Prosecutors in the violent western Mexican state of Jalisco said Wednesday they found five dead bodies piled in a bulletproof SUV, while near the Arizona border authorities found seven more bodies.
The state prosecutors’ office said someone called an emergency number to report the vehicle Tuesday. Inside, police found the bodies of five men “with visible signs of violence.” The office did not specify how the men were killed.
The SUV was found on a road in Villa de Corona, which is south of Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state.
The state is home to the drug cartel of the same name. The Department of Justice considers the Jalisco cartel to be “one of the five most dangerous transnational criminal organizations in the world.” The cartel’s leader, Nemesio Oseguera, “El Mencho,” is among the most sought by Mexican and U.S. authorities.
Mexican drug cartels frequently use either homemade or professionally made bulletproof vehicles, as well as military-grade weapons.
Also Wednesday, prosecutors in the northern border state of Sonora said seven bodies were found just off a road near the town of Puerto Peñasco, on the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez.
Prosecutors said that the victims were all men wearing military-style gear, and had all been shot to death. Their bodies were found near the Gulf of Santa Clara, just west of Puerto Peñasco.
They identified one of the dead men as a local leader of one faction of the Sinaloa drug cartel who had operated largely in the border city of Mexicali. In keeping with Mexican regulations, they identified the man only by his alias, “El Pía.” His identity was confirmed by fingerprint records, officials said.
Different factions of the Sinaloa cartel have been fighting for trafficking routes in the area.
The head of the DEA told CBS News that the Jalisco and Sinaloa cartels are the two Mexican cartels behind the influx of fentanyl into the U.S. that’s killing tens of thousands of Americans.
The sons of drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman were among 28 Sinaloa cartel members charged in a massive fentanyl-trafficking investigation announced last year.
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Open: This is “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” Nov. 24, 2024
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Popular gluten free tortilla strips recalled over possible contamination with wheat
A food company known for popular grocery store condiments has recalled a package of tortilla strips that may be contaminated with wheat, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday. The product is meant to be gluten-free.
Sugar Foods, a manufacturing and distribution corporation focused mainly on various toppings, artificial sweeteners and snacks, issued the recall for the “Santa Fe Style” version of tortilla strips sold by the brand Fresh Gourmet.
“People who have a wheat allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the product,” said Sugar Foods in an announcement posted by the FDA.
Packages of these tortilla strips with an expiration date as late as June 20, 2025, could contain undeclared wheat, meaning the allergen is not listed as an ingredient on the label. The Fresh Gourmet product is marketed as gluten-free.
Sugar Foods said a customer informed the company on Nov. 19 that packages of the tortilla strips actually contained crispy onions, another Fresh Gourmet product normally sold in a similar container. The brand’s crispy onion product does contain wheat, and that allergen is noted on the label.
No illnesses tied to the packaging mistake have been reported, according to the announcement from Sugar Foods. However, the company is still recalling the tortilla strips as a precaution. The contamination issue may have affected products distributed between Sept. 30 and Nov. 11 in 22 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington.
Sugar Foods has advised anyone with questions about the recall to contact the company’s consumer care department by email or phone.
CBS News reached out to Sugar Foods for more information but did not receive an immediate reply.
This is the latest in a series of food product recalls affected because of contamination issues, although the others involved harmful bacteria. Some recent, high-profile incidents include an E. coli outbreak from organic carrots that killed at least one person in California, and a listeria outbreak that left an infant dead in California and nine people hospitalized across four different states, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The E. coli outbreak is linked to multiple different food brands while the listeria outbreak stemmed from a line of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products sold by Yu-Shang Foods.
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Gazan chefs cook up hope and humanity for online audience
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