Inside Mexico's Drug Wars (PHOTOS): Exclusive Images From LIFE.com

Last week's discovery of a buried cache of weapons, including 154 rifles and shotguns and more than 92,000 rounds of ammunition, was the latest grisly twist in Mexico's ongoing drug war. Sadly, it was by no means the only such find in recent days, with soldiers having previously seized 83 assault rifles and shotguns, five grenade launchers and more than 18,000 bullets as well as hand grenades and 18 pistols following a confrontation with a 17-vehicle convoy of suspected cartel gunmen in the state of Tamaulipas in May, the Associated Press is reporting.

But the drug war has gone beyond those border regions. Until 2006, the city of Acapulco was best known as an international tourism haven, but has also devolved into the epicenter of cartel-driven turmoil as of late.

The following photographs are a small sample of a series shot by Acapulco-based journalist Pedro Pardo. Featured exclusively on LIFE.com, Pardo's shocking images look at Acapulco's drug war-related violence from a unique, firsthand perspective.

Be sure to check out Pardo's eye-opening full gallery on LIFE.com.

Photos and captions courtesy of LIFE.com.

Elementary school students at the Felipe Carrillo Puerto School were being taught by Acapulco's Public Safety Department what to do if they encountered violence when Pardo took this picture on the playground on November 12, 2010. "They were told not to risk their lives, to hit the floor, put their hands behind their neck, avoid being near glass so they wouldn't hurt themselves," he says. "And these school kids were learning all of this on top of a map of Acapulco painted on the schoolyard. That's a very harsh reality." "On the day I took this picture, June 8, 2009, there was a gunfight inside and outside police headquarters in the Emiliano Zapata neighborhood," Pardo told LIFE.com. "Bullets flew everywhere. But we don't have bullet-proof vests. Our only protection is our cameras -- and being careful." An early morning phone call on Feb. 11, 2011 woke Pardo with a tip that an abandoned taxi with blood dripping from the trunk had been found in Acapulco. He jumped out of bed and onto his motorcycle; by the time he arrived -- still in his pajamas -- local, state and federal policemen, as well as agents from the Mexican army and navy, were on the scene. "Three years ago, you didn't see that kind of presence here," says Pardo. The car was taken to the medical examiner's office where it was finally opened. "I took this picture in three seconds. They opened and shut the trunk immediately," recalls Pardo, who never found out who the men were. "I sent the photo to the agency, and they asked me if I had another shot where you could see more of the sign, but I didn't. It all happened so fast."

Comments

[jwald1]

04:18 PM on 06/09/2011

what the hell is going on with hp. I have seen people joking about the young men hung from the bridge in Mexico, but my comment on legalizing pot was deemed too offensive???

[Connor Alexander]

02:42 PM on 06/09/2011

One single legislative act would end the drug wars, violence and cartels: Legalization.

[dbrett480]

04:22 PM on 06/12/2011

Not quite. The cartels are involved in many aspects of crime from human smuggling to sex trafficking to extortion, etc. It's not like if drugs were legalized all the cartel members would become law-abiding citizens. They would just expand the other aspects of their criminal enterprise.

[Connor Alexander]

11:38 AM on 06/13/2011

Very true. But it would be start in seriously breaking their hold on power.

BTW, thanks for having a reasonable, intelligent comment delivered calmly. Fanned.

[rdk70816]

10:59 PM on 06/08/2011

Ain't no tourist haven no more.

[Msquad99]

10:14 PM on 06/08/2011

A friend left for Puerto Vallarta on vacation this morning. I asked him was he out of his mind.

[1differentdrummer]

06:23 AM on 06/08/2011

And third prize is three vacations in Mexico.

[colin72]

05:52 AM on 06/08/2011

Well, obviously we have to double our efforts on this whole drug war deal.

We need to throw more money at this thing... because we're winning.... really. It's not a waste of money at all.

[the crustybastard]

05:10 AM on 06/09/2011

Indeed. Did you notice that kickass truck with the badass paint right behind Officer Noneck?

[compajuan049]

09:44 PM on 06/07/2011

Uughhh! How depressing and hopeless! I am now for either two solutions to this endless tragedy:

1) legalize drugs to current US cigarette availability status

2) much costlier: send UN troops and NATO/predator drone strikes, because that country technically meets all the requirements of a "humanitarian crisis" intervention.,

And you thought Darfur was bad!!??

[Spawn Of Powerslave]

01:43 PM on 06/08/2011

Legalize drugs in the US, legalize firearms ownership for the general public (Not just the rich, politically connected and criminal) in Mexico, and Presto!

Problem solved!!

[Spawn Of Powerslave]

02:31 PM on 06/07/2011

Hmmm... How are Mexico's "reasonable gun control" laws working?
(Now cue a frantic rant that Mexico would be a crime free paradise if only those NRA inspired gun shows in Arizona would stop selling the cartels Hand Grenades, RPGs and heavy machine guns...)

[king soloman]

11:15 AM on 06/07/2011

the border still isnt safe. As long as pharmaceutical companies conitnue to push they pills that do the same thing as weed but with side affects this war will rage on. Thats the main reson as to why this war wont ever end. The greed overpowers them.

[baxtron]

03:37 PM on 06/07/2011

when american banks are laundering the money electronically, who needs borders.

[RutherfordLaser]

07:10 AM on 06/07/2011

It seems like this conflict really ramped up right around the time when the vast majority of Americans realized marijuana is completely harmless. Now it's time for our politicians to catch up.

[baxtron]

03:38 PM on 06/07/2011

current Mexican President declared war on drug gangs in 2006. Since then, it has been a bloodbath.

[MexDiva]

12:06 PM on 06/09/2011

In order to legitimize himself in power after a corrupted elections that favored the left. Actually, the GOP sent advisors to recommend Mexican President how to start a war as a propaganda machine.

Of course, now all it's out of control.

The rumors in Mexican political class is that Mexican president start drinking at 5pm everyday...So sad, Mexicans deserve better.

[garystartswithg]

10:04 PM on 06/06/2011

This is going to hit Texas and Arizona a lot sooner than later. Welcome to Reaganland.

As a little post script does anyone that enjoys their little weed at night enjoy it all the more knowing its covered in blood?

[LiberalEastTexan]

09:19 AM on 06/07/2011

Grow your own...

[garystartswithg]

09:59 AM on 06/07/2011

the federal govt doesn't like competition.

[the crustybastard]

05:19 AM on 06/09/2011

Even if state law allows it, you can't grow your own pot on your own land for your own use because that violates the US Constitution's Interstate Commerce Clause. Gonzales v. Raich, 545 U.S. 1 (2005).

Second worst SCOTUS in American history, on track to make it to #1.

[king soloman]

11:15 AM on 06/07/2011

im sure u take perscription meds. Dosent it feel good to know the company that made thoses blocks an alternative that has no side effects and is just as good if not better. I guess ur pills are covered in blood too!

[garystartswithg]

11:41 AM on 06/07/2011

sorry bucky, got the wrong guy. i don't take any pills or suppliments. i don't need to -- i like to walk and ride my bike and eat quality food.
i fully realize that there is blood on things like my pc and my cell phone -- both are about 5 yrs old though, i think my monitor might be 10 yrs old. i don't like dealing with corporations, give me ibs. the obvious solution is not dealing with corporations -- then you don't need the pills.

[123biteme]

07:47 PM on 06/06/2011

This is insane. How can we allow to happen so close to our boarder. No wonder these people want to leave. Like it or not, we have a vested interest in helping make Mexico a prosperous nation. Not just for the people of Mexico but for the safety of American citezens. I cannot imagine living in such a lawless and dangerous area, and I am from Bedford Stuy! LOL

[ashabot]

08:14 PM on 06/06/2011

Our absurd prohibition on drugs is the cause of this monstrous war. It is spilling over into Mexico from the US, not the other way around. Legalizing drugs guts the insane profits so many people are willing to kill and die for. When will the US learn this bitter lesson? All alcohol prohibition did was give birth to the mafia. All this current, insane drug prohibition has done is give birth to the cartels and make drug dealing profitable for every street corner pusher in the US coast to coast.

[inthedesert]

06:31 PM on 06/06/2011

Hillary Clinton was correct to call this a terrorist insurgency....and it's NOT thousands of miles away...it's right on our southern border. Where are the troops? We should have troops along the border, but, of course the pro-illegals would call it racist....LOL.

[expat50]

08:28 PM on 06/06/2011

No, the cartels have no interest in politics beyond buying enough of them to keep themselves out of prison. The cartels have no ideology beyond money. Stop prohibition, reduce the obscene amounts of cash available from drug sales and many problems disappear or are reduced. You can't buy all that many guns, cops or judges with the proceeds from bootleg DVDs

BTW, have you been on the border? US agents with guns are everywhere. Many more than were there under GW Bush.

[garystartswithg]

10:05 PM on 06/06/2011

the american govt makes lots of money selling drugs -- remember ollie north? its a lot more than just putting troops on the borders.

[LiberalBuzz]

06:16 PM on 06/06/2011

Legalize and the gangs go out of business tomorrow. The murders stop, the killing stops, the kidnapping stops, the beheading stops, the money stops going to the drug cartels and stays here in America in the billions. What's the point in continuing a failed useless drug war that is actually a war against our own citizens for nothing more than getting high. Make it legal and let the drug gangs go out of business tomorrow.

[StopCensoringMe]

01:53 PM on 06/06/2011

End this brutal "war" on drugs. Take the financial incentive out, eliminate the criminals, allow the real pros, Big Pharma, to handle it. At least the gun violence would end. This is tragic beyond measure.

Stop Prohibition Now.