Mexican authorities uncovered a hidden burial site near Cancun, where the remains of at least 16 individuals were discovered. The property, located in the town of Leona Vicario, approximately 26 miles west of Cancun, was used as a clandestine cemetery.
The identities of the deceased are currently unknown, with potential for additional victims as authorities investigate five more “forensic interest” points, according to Quintana Roo attorney general Raciel Lopez Salazar. The skeletal remains were found scattered across 10 different sites, concealed under layers of cement and quicklime.
While Quintana Roo is renowned for its tourism, the prevalence of such burial sites is more common in other regions of Mexico like Jalisco, Michoacan, Tamaulipas, and Veracruz. The discovery highlights the ongoing issue of missing persons in Mexico, with over 133,000 individuals reported missing, the majority of cases occurring in the last two decades.