Authorities in northern Mexico have discovered the decapitated body of a missing police chief, apparently beheaded by 'vengeful' drug cartel gangsters.

The body of Heriberto Cerda, the police chief in Agualeguas was recovered with his head on his lap and a message in *lo** written on his abandoned vehicle's windshield bearing the signature of Mexico's notorious Gulf Cartel, which is a drug cartel based in Matamoros, The Associated Press reported.

The police commander, along with his brother Jesus Cerda, was kidnapped on March 25 in the northern State of Nuevo Leon after Marines killed six drug gang members. His brother was also killed.

Authorities blame the increasing violence in the area on rivalries between the Gulf Cartel and 'Los Zetas', an offshoot from the cartel.

Mexico's drug-related violence shows little sign of abatement despite the deployment of thousands of federal security forces brought in to help local law enforcement agencies in their fight against criminal gangs.