Four bodies found near beachside resort in Mexico’s Cancún

Identities and nationalities of the victims yet to be revealed

File photo: Members of the Mexican Navy and National Guard patrol the tourist beach area of Cancun, Quintana Roo state, Mexico on 18 March 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

Four bodies have been recovered near a beach in Mexico’s Cancún in the latest apparent incident of violence against tourists in the resort town.

Officials said three bodies were found on Monday in an area along Kukulkan Boulevard, near one of Cancún’s beachside hotels.

A fourth body was found in the undergrowth on the same lot.

Reports said there was no clarification on the identities of the four victims.

Investigators have not attributed any cause to the deaths so far. Prosecutors from Mexico’s Quintana Roo, however, said two suspects had been detained.

This comes just a few days after an American tourist was shot in the leg in the nearby town of Puerto Morelos.

US state and federal officials had earlier in March issued warnings to Americans travelling to Mexico for the spring break, citing escalating violence in the region.

The US State Department issued an alert on 13 March advising potential travellers to be aware of the risk of violent crime, drugs, unregulated alcohol and sexual assault.

“Crime, including violent crime, can occur anywhere in Mexico, including in popular tourist destinations,” it read.

“Travellers should maintain a high level of situational awareness, avoid areas where illicit activities occur, and promptly depart from potentially dangerous situations.

“US citizens should exercise increased caution in the downtown areas of popular spring break locations including Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, and Tulum, especially after dark,” it added.

In a separate incident, a group of American tourists was taken hostage on 3 March after entering the state of Tamaulipas in Matamoros – an area dominated by Mexico’s Gulf cartel.

It was later reported that two Americans in a group of four friends who were kidnapped during a trip to Mexico were found dead.

The Americans, who had driven from South Carolina, came under fire from a group of armed men and were bundled into the back of a pickup truck.

Tamaulipas governor Américo Villarreal revealed on a call during a Tuesday evening press conference that two of the victims, Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown, had been found dead.

Eric James Williams was wounded on his leg while LaTavia “Tay” McGee was unharmed – they are back in the US, according to the Tamaulipas Attorney General.

The US officials familiar with the investigation were quoted as saying by CNN that authorities believe a Mexican cartel mistook the victims for Haitian drug smugglers.