Even as more people turn to Mexico for cheap luxury vacations, cartel violence in the region near Tulum and other tourist hotspots is reaching a fever pitch.

Over the weekend, four local city employees were shot and stuffed inside a vehicle, with their bodies showing signs that they were tortured before being killed.

The discovery came in the midst of an otherwise peaceful middle-class neighborhood, with authorities saying they’re investigating but don’t have many hints as to why they were killed or who killed them.

The four victims came from the Playa del Carmen’s municipal inspection office, which is in charge of enforcing the law against the use or sale of drugs, underage attendees, and city permits for restaurants, bars, and other commercial locales.

The combination of wealthy visitors and Mexico’s drug cartels seeking new ventures has created the perfect storm, with Playa del Carmen becoming a major hub for drugs and drug traffickers. Violent gun fights have erupted in the streets, and authorities say there are four drug cartels working in the greater Cancun region. Those are the Sinaloa Cartel, the New Generation Jalisco Cartel (CJNG), the Gulf Cartel, and Grupo Regional.

Two Canadians were shot at a hotel in Playa del Carmen in 2022, and authorities have warned tourists from engaging with drugs during their stay because of the overlap with cartel activity.