The decapitated bodies of 25 men and two women have been found near Guatemala's border with Mexico

The bodies were discovered at a ranch in Peten province, 310 miles north of the capital. The chief of police said that the killings were probably linked to a battle between rival drug gangs fighting for control of the area. Northern Guatemala is an important transit point for drugs smuggled from South America to the United States. Officials said that the victims appeared to have been ambushed by gunmen. They are investigating whether the deaths were related to the Zetas drug gang, which has been expanding its operations into Guatemala from Mexico. There are also suspicions that the massacre was linked to the killing of Haroldo Waldemar Leon in the same area. He was the brother of drug trafficker Juan Jose "Juancho" Leon, who was shot dead by the Zetas in 2008.