GUADALAJARA, Mexico, April 10, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The remains of at least 11 people were found in hidden graves in the western Mexican state of Jalisco, local authorities said Thursday.

The skeletal remains were found in a rural lot in Ixtlahuacan, a suburb of Guadalajara, the state capital, the local prosecutor's office said.

Another 12 bags containing human remains were found at a construction site in nearby Tlajomulco, Blanca Trujillo, the deputy prosecutor for missing persons, told a press conference.

Guadalajara is one of three Mexican cities hosting World Cup soccer matches this summer.

The total number of victims from the two sites is still unknown, Trujillo said, adding that in both cases the remains appear to be from a long time ago, without specifying a timeframe.

The state of Jalisco has been hit hard by drug-related violence over the years.

In February, Mexican military forces killed Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and one of the United States' most-wanted drug lords.

After the incident, World Cup organizer FIFA reaffirmed its confidence in Guadalajara as a host city.

The Mexican federal government announced the deployment of nearly 100,000 troops to guarantee security in all three host cities, which also include Monterrey and Mexico City. Mexico is hosting the soccer tournament with the United States and Canada.

According to official figures, Mexico has more than 130,000 missing persons, most of them in the last two decades amid drug-related violence.