MEXICO CITY: Families of dozens of Mexicans feared killed and buried in the woods south of the capital on Thursday joined a colossal search operation for their loved ones alongside activists, authorities and forensic experts.

They began combing a large wooded area in Ajusco, a volcanic hill south of Mexico City, searching for human remains.

The groups involved in the operation estimate that there could be between 130 and 150 bodies buried or hidden in the area.

Mothers dug the ground with pitchforks and shovels, while others used machetes and heavy machinery to clear vegetation.

Araceli Olmedo Cruz, 40, said she was searching for her son Benjamin, who went missing from a nearby neighborhood in April 2024.

“Since it’s a secluded area, it makes it easier for people to come and dump the bodies,” she said.

Nationwide, there are more than 127,000 missing persons, with an uptick in reported disappearances linked to a rise in drug-related violence since the government launched a major operation targeting crime groups in December 2006.

Bodies have been discovered across the country.

In Bartolina, in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas, authorities unearthed about 1,100 pounds (500 kgs) of human remains between 2017 and 2021.

Arnulfo Garcia is searching for his mother, Placida, whom he hasn’t heard from in a year but hopes is still alive.

“We had searched in urban areas of the city, put up posters,” he said.

Garcia said he decided to join the Ajusco search in the hopes of connecting with authorities who may be able to locate his mother.

Local media said the search, involving some 430 people, will continue until October 31.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2025