Search Groups Find Remains of 5 People in Clandestine Grave on Mahahual-Cafetal Highway

Chetumal, Quintana Roo — Members of search collectives for missing persons discovered a clandestine grave containing the remains of at least five individuals on a stretch of the Mahahual-Cafetal highway, authorities said Wednesday.

The group Verdad, Memoria y Justicia from Felipe Carrillo Puerto received a tip about possible human remains in several locations between Mahahual and Cafetal, particularly in a sascabera — a type of limestone quarry. They conducted their own search alongside state and federal police officers.

About 20 kilometers from the Mahahual junction, they initially found bones that authorities thought were not human. But as they continued searching, they uncovered skulls belonging to at least five people, according to the State Prosecutor’s Office.

In a statement, the prosecutor’s office confirmed the discovery and said the remains are estimated to be between one and one-and-a-half years old. The area where the bones were found had been flooded, but drought conditions allowed the remains to be located.

Forensic experts are continuing to process the scene and collect evidence for analysis and identification of the remains, the agency said.