ACAPULCO, Mexico (March 14, 2010)—What evidently was drug-related violence left 13 people dead early Saturday in and around the Mexican beach resort of Acapulco, which has traditionally been a popular spring break destination.

Four of the victims were beheaded, security officials said.

Five of the dead were police officers who were attacked while on nighttime patrol on the outskirts of the Pacific Ocean resort, security officials said.

The bullet-riddled bodies of eight other men were discovered in different areas around Acapulco.

Four of the eight had been beheaded, the officials said.

Rival drug gangs in recent years have sometimes fought over territory in Acapulco, where any resurgence in violence would be bad news for Mexico’s tourism industry.

Last June, at least 18 people were killed in a shootout between drug gangs and soldiers in the city, which is home to about a million people.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon has staked his presidency on crushing drug gangs whose turf wars have killed about 19,000 people since he came to power in 2006.

Some 45,000 troops and federal police have been deployed across the country.