In a shocking incident, the bodies of four municipal employees were found stuffed in a vehicle in the popular tourist destination of Playa del Carmen in Mexico’s Caribbean coast. According to the prosecutors in the state of Quintana Roo, the victims were identified as city employees but no further details were provided.
Later, local officials confirmed that the four were municipal inspectors and their bodies showed signs of torture. Playa del Carmen has been facing a persistent problem with illicit businesses and drug sales at shops and restaurants in the beach zone. The city inspectors were responsible for enforcing local codes at such establishments.
This is the latest setback for the Caribbean coast, which is already grappling with the arrival of sargassum seaweed much earlier than usual this year. Workers and volunteers have started gathering mounds of seaweed from the beaches, almost two months ahead of schedule. The unpleasant-smelling sea algae usually does not make an appearance on Mexico’s Caribbean coast until late March or April.
The situation is reminiscent of the peak year of 2018, when a large influx of sargassum seaweed was seen on the beaches. Last year also saw a significant increase in the seaweed, almost as bad as the 2018 peak.
(Inputs from AP)
The Chenab Times News Desk