Armed Attack Halts Search for Missing Persons in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — An armed attack forced a search group to suspend operations on Friday after they discovered clothing and shoes hidden in bags in the Xpu-Ha area, raising concerns about possible clandestine graves.

The Madres Sembradoras de Memoria Quintana Roo collective was conducting search activities accompanied by state and municipal police officers when gunfire erupted, prompting them to take cover and halt their work.

Just before the attack, the group had located various clothing items and footwear concealed in bags among the vegetation. The discovery suggested the possible existence of clandestine graves in the area, leading searchers to suspect the gunfire may have been an intimidation tactic to force them to abandon that specific location.

Security forces detained one individual following the incident. The collective decided to suspend the search operation to protect the safety of the mothers and family members present.

Through official channels, Madres Sembradoras de Memoria issued a statement emphasizing their work is strictly humanitarian and motivated by love, reiterating their sole objective is to locate their missing loved ones.

“Our struggle is to find them and bring them back home; we are not seeking culprits nor demanding justice at this moment,” the group said in their statement, noting that despite the risk and tension experienced in this Playa del Carmen tourist corridor, their commitment remains firm.

It remains unclear whether authorities continue to secure the area where the belongings were found as security conditions are evaluated for future search operations.