The bodies, with their heads laying nearby, were found shortly before dawn in two different locations in Michoacan state.
Three headless corpses were found near a bridge in a suburb of Morelia, Michoacan's regional capital.
Two more were found at a plaza in Morelia a short time later, officials said.
The region has been overrun by criminals from the Jalisco Nueva Generacion drug cartel, which authorities believe carried out the crimes.
The cartel is in a heated turf battle with the Knights Templar drug cartel.
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