At least 11 bodies were found in hidden graves in the western Mexican state of Jalisco, local authorities said on Thursday.
The skeletal remains were recovered from a rural plot in Ixtlahuacan, a suburb of Guadalajara, the state capital and host World Cup football matches this year, according to the local prosecutor’s office, AFP reported.
In a separate site, authorities also found 12 bags containing human remains at a construction area in nearby Tlajomulco, deputy prosecutor for missing persons Blanca Trujillo told a press conference.
Trujillo said the total number of victims from both sites remains unclear. She added that the remains in both cases appear to be old, but did not specify a timeframe.
Guadalajara is one of three Mexican cities scheduled to host World Cup football matches this summer.
The state of Jalisco has faced years of drug-related violence.
In February, Mexican military forces killed Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and one of the United States’ most-wanted drug lords.
Following that incident, FIFA reaffirmed its confidence in Guadalajara as a host city.
The Mexican federal government has announced the deployment of nearly 100,000 troops to secure all three host cities. The other venues include Monterrey and Mexico City. Mexico will co-host the tournament with the United States and Canada.
Official figures show that more than 130,000 people remain missing in Mexico. Most disappearances have taken place over the past two decades amid drug-related violence.
