Photo captures bullet-ridden body on popular Mexican beach

  • 17/04/2018
Around 12 people are murdered everyday in the resort town of Acapulco.
Around 12 people are murdered everyday in the resort town of Acapulco. Photo credit: Reuters

This story contains graphic content that may disturb.

A disturbing photograph has emerged of a bullet-ridden body on a popular beach in Mexico, a vivid demonstration of how the country's drug war has crept into its tourism scene. 

The photo shows the body lying face down in the sand in the beach resort town of Acapulco, a tourist hotspot in the Pacific coast state of Guerrero.

The deceased man in an orange shirt can be seen with tourists and locals standing around nearby. 

The Sun reported the body was later removed by troops and an armed forensics team with one soldier having to stop a lifeguard from taking a picture. 

While the circumstances surrounding the man's death are unclear, Guerrero state has long been troubled by gang and drug violence. Acapulco is in the middle of a deadly crimewave with as many as 12 people murdered every day. 

The surge comes on the back of Mexico's deadliest year. More than 25,000 murders were recorded in 2017 as rival gang tensions spun out of control. 

With Acapulco largely dependent on tourism, locals have been known to bring guns to the beach as protection.

Newshub.