MEXICO CITY — On Thursday, law enforcement officials in Mexico revealed the discovery of 12 bodies in hidden burial sites located in the northern border region of Chihuahua.
The skeletal remains were located in the township of Ascencion, which is approximately 110 miles (180 kilometers) west of Ciudad Juarez, a city that borders El Paso, Texas.

The investigation into this area began on December 18, with search efforts subsequently expanding over the following days.
Authorities uncovered a total of 11 shallow graves where the remains had been disposed of. These remains have been sent to state forensic laboratories for potential identification and to ascertain the cause of death.

In Mexico, drug cartels and kidnapping syndicates commonly exploit such secret burial sites to dispose of the bodies of victims or adversaries.
This gruesome activity has contributed to a growing crisis, with approximately 120,000 individuals reported as missing throughout the country.

Family members of the missing often find themselves alone in the search for their loved ones. Many form volunteer groups that roam the desert in pursuit of clandestine burial sites.
It remains unclear whether any of these community-driven groups assisted local authorities in the search for graves in the Ascencion area.