Local authorities reported that at least 26 bodies were found in 10 clandestine graves in the municipality of Tecomán, located in the state of Colima in western Mexico. The human remains were found with the help of drones and dogs in the community of Cerro de Ortega, where numerous clandestine burials have been identified since 2018. Héctor Javier Peña, in charge of dispatch at the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Missing Persons in Colima, reported that so far 10 clandestine graves have been located and the human remains of 26 people have been recovered; however, excavations continue and authorities do not rule out the presence of more remains.
The town of Tecomán, near the state of Michoacán, has been the scene of multiple finds of clandestine graves, mostly related to the activity of criminal cells. In 2019, in this municipality, 69 bodies were found in a series of graves, and last December, another 22 bodies were located. Tecomán is an area dedicated to tourism because of its beaches and agricultural activities.
The state of Colima, located on the Pacific coast, is a key region in the drug trafficking route. The region’s ports are used by drug traffickers to smuggle drugs or substances such as fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that can be up to 50 times more powerful than heroin. Since the military anti-drug offensive was launched in December 2006, Mexico has recorded more than 340,000 murders and around 100,000 missing people, mostly attributed to criminal organizations.