(NewsNation) — As many as 48 bags filled with what are believed to be human remains have been discovered in what officials are referring to as a clandestine gravesite near Guadalajara, home to one of Mexico's most powerful criminal cartels, authorities announced Thursday.

The bags were located and recovered in the capital region of Jalisco state, where the Jalisco New Generation cartel originates. Multiple media outlets in the United States and Mexico reported the discovery of the suspected human remains in an area of Mexico where thousands of people have been reported missing.

The Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office announced at a news conference Thursday that investigators are working to determine how many victims whose remains were found in the bags, CBS News reported. Blanca Trujillo,

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