56 Buried Bodies Found Again in Mexico... "Identity Not Confirmed"
by Choi Seungwoo
Published 27 Jan.2025 10:24(KST)
Authorities Uncover 56 Bodies in 38 Unmarked Graves
Major Drug Trafficking Route Along U.S. Border
Fifty-six unidentified buried bodies were discovered in the northern Mexico border area adjacent to the United States.
According to Yonhap News Agency, citing the Chihuahua State Prosecutor's Office, "The prosecutor's office held an emergency press conference on the 25th (local time) and announced that 38 unmarked burial sites were found in the Casas Grandes area." Authorities excavated 56 bodies whose identities are still unknown after a four-day search from the 21st to that day.
The Chihuahua Prosecutor's Office collected the remains and sent them to the Ciudad Juarez forensic team, adding that if criminal charges are confirmed through further investigation, a formal investigation will be launched.
Mexican media El Debate described the area as the so-called 'El Willy' near the ancient city ruins of Paquim?, which is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The operation was reportedly conducted with military and police support based on information related to drug and arms trafficking crimes. In El Willy, the armed gang 'La Linea' within the Ciudad Juarez Cartel is active.
Chihuahua, with a population of 3.7 million (2020), is the largest state in Mexico with an area of 247,455 km², nearly 2.5 times the size of South Korea (100,000 km²).
This area is known as one of the major drug trafficking routes with numerous drug and migrant transit paths. It borders the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas, making it a strategic business location for smuggling drugs into the United States. Because of this, disputes over land ownership among drug organizations are frequent, and bodies presumed to be crime victims are often found.
Since Mexico launched an offensive against drug cartels in 2006, more than 450,000 people have died nationwide over about a decade, and approximately 3,000 clandestine burial sites have been identified.
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