Police investigate four lifeless bodies Cancun tourist beach

Mexican authorities opened an investigation after four bodies were discovered on Monday on the beach outside a popular hotel in Cancun as violence continues to rise in the region.

Three bodies were discovered on the beach outside the Fiesta Americana hotel. A fourth body was found in the undergrowth nearby. The Attorney General’s Office in Quintana Roo has opened an investigation into the killings. 

"The authorities are working to clarify the facts and find the whereabouts of the person(s) responsible for these events," the Attorney General's Office wrote in a statement. 

Authorities have not revealed the identities of the victims or their nationalities. Their causes of death were also not revealed.

Three male bodies are thought to be alleged drug dealers, according to local media. However, Mexican authorities have not confirmed the men’s connection to drug cartels.

So far, two suspects involved in the killings were arrested, authorities reported. 

Cancun, a popular tourist destination in Mexico, has seen a rise in organized crime in recent years. Monday’s incident comes days after an American tourist was shot in the city. The man was approached by several suspects and shot in the leg. He was taken to a hospital in Cancun for treatment and his injury was determined to be non-life-threatening.

In response to the crime in the region, the U.S. State Department has issued a travel advisory warning American visitors to “exercise increased caution due to crime and kidnapping" as "criminal activity and violence may occur in any location, at any time, including in popular tourist destinations." 

"While not directed at tourists, shootings between rival gangs have injured innocent bystanders," the advisory said. "Additionally, U.S. citizens have been the victims of both nonviolent and violent crimes in tourist and non-tourist areas."