A weekend gun battle between Mexican security forces and dozens of members of a presumed drug cartel left at least 21 people dead, including four policemen and two bystanders, according to authorities and multiple news reports.

A Mexican general indicted for abetting billions of dollars in oil theft from the state-run petroleum company Pemex has, not for the first time, failed to appear at his own court hearing the Washington Post reported Sunday.

Police found more than 40 skulls, 70 bones and a fetus in a jar during a raid on a suspected drug trafficking hideout in Mexico City on Saturday. The odd find came a few days after 31 cartel member suspects were arrested.

Mexico is one step closer to getting a new ‘National Guard’ to help the fight against endemic organized crime after the lower house voted overwhelmingly in favor of the force on Wednesday.