Six Male Heads Found in Mexico's Relatively Safe Central Region

Police officers passing by the San Sebastianito cemetery amid reports of a clandestine mass grave site discovered in Jalisco, Mexico. Photo by AFP

In Mexico's central region, which has been considered relatively safe, headless bodies have been discovered.

On August 19 (local time), CNN reported that Mexican authorities are investigating after six human heads were found near the border between Puebla and Tlaxcala states. According to the Tlaxcala State Prosecutor's Office, all of the heads belonged to men, but no further details about the case have been released, CNN said.

Brutal killings by criminal organizations are not uncommon in Mexico. Earlier this year, 20 male bodies with gunshot wounds were found in Sinaloa state, five of which had been decapitated. The bodies were discovered on a bridge over a federal highway.

Puebla and Tlaxcala are states located in the central region, about 100 kilometers from Mexico City. According to official statistics, both areas are considered relatively safe in terms of public security. From January to July this year, Puebla accounted for 3.4% of the 14,769 intentional homicide cases recorded nationwide in Mexico, while Tlaxcala accounted for only 0.5%.

The U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 2 Travel Advisory for both regions, which is the second-lowest warning level. However, CNN reported that "Mexican authorities say these areas are experiencing problems because, due to their geographic location, they lie along transit routes used by criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking, and fuel theft." In 2022, authorities in Puebla intercepted a truck carrying 116 migrants of various nationalities.