Authorities in southern Mexico have uncovered 11 clandestine graves containing the bodies of 15 men in Chiapas, a region plagued by violent disputes between the Sinaloa and Jalisco Nueva Generación drug cartels, officials said Sunday.
Chiapas Governor Eduardo Ramírez Aguilar announced on social media that the discovery was made during a raid in La Concordia, a city near Mexico’s border with Guatemala. Authorities also arrested four individuals linked to the case, seizing weapons and drugs in the operation.
The Chiapas state prosecutor’s office reported that the raid targeted two properties. At the first location, investigators found three graves with three bodies. The second site revealed eight graves containing 12 bodies.
Technological tools such as drones, geo-radars, and aerial surveillance were employed in the operation, along with ground searches, forensic analysis, and excavation techniques, the prosecutor’s office stated.
Chiapas Prosecutor General Jorge Luis Llaven Abarca noted last week that another clandestine grave, containing charred remains, had been found in the Emiliano Zapata area near La Concordia. However, details on the identification of those bodies remain scarce due to their condition.
The region has seen escalating violence tied to disputes over drug trafficking routes, migrant smuggling, and arms deals, forcing more than 10,000 people to flee their homes. Many displaced individuals, including Mexicans, have sought refuge in Guatemala, according to humanitarian organizations.
