Authorities find five severed human heads along with threatening messages in ice coolers dumped on a road amid drug wars in Mexico.

A police patrol on Tuesday in the Mexican state of Jalisco found five coolers on a road leading to the city of Guadalajara, containing the severed heads of five men aged 30 to 50 years old.

"They were recently severed heads, cut off about four hours before they were found," said a spokesman from the state attorney general's office.

Amid speculation that the victims were members of drug gangs fighting for territory, messages inscribed on the top of the ice coolers warned of further violence.

"Like these, I am going to finish everyone," says one. "I'm going after you, 'Goyo.'"

Another said, "Here we go, 'Goyo,' idiot."

Jalisco is close to the state of Sinalia where some of the most notorious traffickers -- including Mexico's most-wanted man, Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman -- operate.

President Felipe Calderon has centered his policy on curtailing drug war violence and reforming corrupt police forces who work in league with traffickers, but the bloodshed is frightening investors and tourists from northern Mexico.

Drug violence in Mexico has claimed more than 7,200 lives since January 2008.

RSM/AA