American tourists are being warned to steer clear of parts of Mexico that have been plagued by drug-related violence, the Dallas Morning News reported April 20.

The travel warning issued by the U.S. State Department noted that violence and murders sparked by warring drug gangs and a government-led crackdown have occurred in several parts of the country, including the Monterrey area. Traffickers have issued bloody warnings against Mexican police and other officials, as well as their family members.

"The environment has never been this tense," said one U.S. State Department official. "We've never seen our counterparts as worried about their personal safety as they are today."

The drug wars resulted in 2,000 deaths last year in Mexico, and 700 already this year.

The travel advisory cites danger to U.S. travelers in the Mexican states of Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, among others, and includes the popular tourist destination of Acapulco.