In a span of seven years, Veracruz authorities found 343 clandestine mass graves as part of investigations into thousands of individuals listed as missing. The sites are believed linked to cartel gunmen.

In a report released by the Veracruz Attorney General’s Office, authorities revealed that from 2011 to 2017, they discovered 343 clandestine mass graves in 102 different sites. In those mass graves, 225 bodies, 335 skulls, and 30,693 human bone fragments were unearthed. According to the report, authorities found 31 mass graves in 2017 containing victims of crimes that took place between 2010 and 2016.

Former Veracruz Governor Javier Duarte served in office between 2010 and 2016. Duarte was singled out as having ignored cartel activities during the period. After his time in office, Duarte fled from Mexico until his arrest and eventual extradition to face organized crime charges.

In March 2017, Breitbart Texas reported on a series of mass graves where authorities in Veracruz discovered close to 300 human skulls during a missing persons search effort.

As Breitbart Texas reported, Veracruz has been a hub of violence as Los Zetas and other cartels fight for control of the state’s main port and drug distribution routes.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and Stephen K. Bannon. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.

Brandon Darby is managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and Stephen K. Bannon. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.