3 shot dead in Mexican resort of Cancun

Three men were shot dead early Sunday in Mexico's famed Caribbean resort of Cancun, local media reported.

The shooting occurred around 6:30 a.m. at the Santino Bar located in downtown Cancun, an area popular with tourists staying along the hotel strip.

Witnesses said at least five armed men entered the bar, threatened customers and shot a man in the head in an execution-style killing. He was believed to be the manager or owner.

As they were leaving the bar, the presumed hit men also fired on a group of taxi drivers stationed outside the establishment. One of the drivers was shot dead in his vehicle and another died on the way to the hospital, according to regional daily La Jornada Maya.

Another three people were injured, the daily said.

On Friday, some 600 military troops were dispatched to the region, 300 to Cancun, as part of a plan to fight organized crime in the country's No. 1 tourism destination.

According to official figures, 33 such killings have been registered in Cancun so far this year, for an average of nearly three killings a week.

Officials acknowledge that the country's most powerful drug cartels, including the Sinaloa, Gulf, Zetas and Jalisco New Generation, operate along the Cancun-Riviera Maya corridor, home to Mexico's best known beaches.

Cancun officials said the armed men left a message in one of the taxis indicating the Jalisco New Generation Cartel took responsibility for the attack.