MEXICO CITY - Mexican police discovered nine dismembered bodies in a pickup truck in Xalapa, capital of the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz, a state governor said at a news conference on Sunday.

Veracruz Governor Miguel Yunes said the bodies were discovered on Saturday in a residential neighborhood and described the murder as a result of a clash between rival gangs.

Yunes also said a man was gunned down on a main thoroughfare in the city, but he did not mention connection between the two crimes.

On Friday, state police found four human heads placed on the hood of a car in the municipality of Sayula de Aleman, also in Veracruz.

As one of the most violent states in Mexico, Veracruz, where one of the country's busiest ports is located, has been gripped by crimes of drug trafficking and kidnapping.

In the wake of the grisly killings, Yunes said he was launching new federal anti-crime efforts to reinforce security in the state capital.

According to officials, major drug cartels, including the Gulf, the Zetas and the Jalisco New Generation cartels, have been battling each other for control of drug trade and smuggling routes, leading to more bloodshed in Mexico last year than before.

Data released by the Mexican Interior Ministry showed the year 2017 turned out to be the deadliest year with 23,101 murders taking place from January to November, a new high since records began in 1997.