37 dissembled bodies found in northern Mexico Agents for the Federal Police and Mexican Army watch over the crime scene where decapitated ...

37 dissembled bodies found in northern Mexico

Agents for the Federal Police and Mexican Army watch over the crime scene where decapitated and dismembered bodies were found near a highway of Cadereyta, in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, May 13, 2012. At least 37 decapitated and dismembered bodies were found Sunday morning on a highway in the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, the local authorities said. (Photo Source: Xinhua/Str)

An agent for the Federal Police watches over the crime scene where decapitated and dismembered bodies were found near a highway of Cadereyta, in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, May 13, 2012. At least 37 decapitated and dismembered bodies were found Sunday morning on a highway in the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, the local authorities said. (Photo Source: Xinhua/Str)

Workers for the Forensic Medical Service work at the crime scene where decapitated and dismembered bodies were found near a highway of Cadereyta, in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, May 13, 2012. At least 37 decapitated and dismembered bodies were found Sunday morning on a highway in the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, the local authorities said. (Photo Source: Xinhua/Str)

Agents for the Federal Police and Mexican Army watch over the crime scene where decapitated and dismembered bodies were found near a highway of Cadereyta, in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, May 13, 2012. At least 37 decapitated and dismembered bodies were found Sunday morning on a highway in the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, the local authorities said. (Photo Source: Xinhua/Str)

Workers for the Forensic Medical Service work at the crime scene where decapitated and dismembered bodies were found near a highway of Cadereyta, in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, May 13, 2012. At least 37 decapitated and dismembered bodies were found Sunday morning on a highway in the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, the local authorities said. (Photo Source: Xinhua/Str)

MEXICO CITY, May 13 (Xinhua) -- At least 37 decapitated and dismembered bodies were found Sunday morning on a highway in the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, local authorities said.

The human remains were found at about 4 a.m. (0900 GMT) inside plastic bags in the town of Cadereyta on a road that connects to the border city of Reynosa in Tamaulipas state, the state police said in a statement.

After receiving the report of the finding, authorities closed the highway and dispatched police officers, soldiers and forensic experts to the scene.

Nuevo Leon has witnessed frequent fightings between rivalling drug-trafficking cartels.

Last week, decapitated and mutilated bodies of 18 people were found in the western state of Jalisco.

Mexico is experiencing an escalation of violence. More than 47,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence since President Felipe Calderon launched the "war against organized crimes" in 2006.