The dismembered bodies of 15 individuals were discovered in an operation in Poza Rica, located in the northern part of the state of Veracruz.
The corpses in refrigerators were found during various operations conducted by the National Defense Secretariat in conjunction with the Public Security Secretariat in the Óscar Torres Pancardo neighborhood. There, a pursuit of alleged criminals occurred, who entered a residence, and law enforcement followed them, realizing that it was a safe house.
Three individuals who were being held captive were liberated, and one more person was arrested.
Local media reported that neighbors had reported strong foul odors emanating from the residence for several days, but they were unaware of the site’s use.
In addition to finding firearms and drugs, human remains were also discovered. Several other residences were subsequently examined, where similar safe houses were discovered. As of now, authorities have not issued an official statement regarding the number of victims found at the scene or in the overall operations.
The bodies were processed by investigative police to be transferred to the Forensic Medical Service for identification.
It is worth noting that since the beginning of the year, the municipality of Poza Rica has become a red zone due to the high levels of violence in the area. Attacks on bars have also been recorded, resulting in multiple deaths.
The state government launched a special operation to counteract the high levels of violence, which, according to Governor Cuitláhuac García Jiménez, has shown results. In May alone, he stated that 17 instigators of violence operating in the area had been apprehended.
However, this has not halted the situation, and incidents such as shootings or the abandonment of bags containing bodies persist. The recent discovery of safe houses containing dismembered and refrigerated bodies further illustrates this ongoing issue.
San Miguel Times
Newsroom