21 more bodies located in mass graves in northern Mexico

[News_Editor]

21 more bodies located in mass graves in northern Mexico

2011-04-27 21:28:57 GMT+7 (ICT)

TAMAULIPAS, MEXICO (BNO NEWS) -- Mexico's authorities on Tuesday located 21 more bodies in mass graves in northern Mexico; rising the number of bodies found to 78, El Universal newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The victims were unearthed in unmarked graves in Durango State. The discovery was a result of a joint operation by the Federal Police and the Mexican Army in a terrain located on Constituyentes street, western Durango City.

So far, authorities have found 96 bodies in Durango. On Monday, 17 victims were found in the Constituyentes mass graves. Last week, when the search operation began, 26 corpses were unearthed.

In early April, another 14 bodies were discovered in nearby sites in Durango State, bringing the total number of bodies found to 78. The findings were a result of intelligence obtained after the capture of six members of a local organized-crime group.

The discovery came about two weeks after 145 bodies were unearthed from mass graves in San Fernando municipality, Tamaulipas State. On April 16, the Mexican navy arrested Martín Omar Estrada Luna, also known as El Kilo, the alleged leader of the 'Los Zetas' drug cartel in the fore mentioned northern municipality.

Last August, members of Los Zetas cartel killed 72 Central and South American immigrants in San Fernando. Estrada Luna was also accused for the deaths of the migrants.

Mexico's Attorney General Marisela Morales said on Tuesday that 74 people have been arrested in relation to the mass graves discoveries. Among the detainees are 17 police officers from San Fernando who protected criminal activities from drug cartels.

Morales said that a total of 183 bodies have been located in San Fernando and 120 of them were sent to Mexico City in order to perform thorough forensic analysis to identify the victims.

Due to the state of decomposition, neither the cause of death nor the identities of the bodies has been determined yet. It is believed that the victims were people who refused to enlist within the ranks of 'Los Zetas' drug cartel.

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