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Law Enforcement

4 bodies found in Playa del Carmen

The Mexican Caribbean has been the scene of several attacks by armed groups in tourist areas

March 24, 2022 4:05pm

Updated: March 25, 2022 7:59am

Four bodies were found on Thursday in a subdivision located in Playa del Carmen, in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, according to the Attorney General's Office.

Around 10:00 a.m. local time, neighbors reported several bodies in a green area. Forensic services went to the scene to remove the bodies and began the corresponding investigation.

"At first glance, there are no firearm injuries, but it will be the experts - after the autopsy - who will determine the cause or causes of death," said the Quintana Roo District Attorney's Office in a statement.

Shortly after the report was published, another shooting was reported against the facade of a diving equipment rental store in the same municipality.

The local Public Safety and Transit Secretariat responded to the emergency and confirmed that the establishment was the target of an armed attack. No fatalities were reported.

On March 12, a Canadian businessman was gunned down by assassins as he was driving his car in Playa del Carmen. His 14-year-old daughter was wounded, reported Infobae.

Two Canadians were murdered at the end of February. The investigation led to the exchange of information between the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Canadian Mounted Police.

A week later, Argentine businessman Federico Mazzoni, manager of Mamita's Beach Club, was murdered within his shop.

Quintana Roo ranks among the top 10 for intentional homicide rates, despite the fact that in December 2021, the Mexican government sent 1,500 National Guard elements to form a "Tourist Security Battalion" along with local agents.

The Mexican Caribbean has been the site of several attacks by armed groups in tourist areas. The Riviera Maya is home to the Jalisco Cartel-New Generation and the Sinaloa Cartel, according to Infobae. For years it was also home to members of the Romanian mafia, linked to ATM looting and credit card fraud.