Four human skulls destined for the US have been recovered in a package at an airport by customs officials, police say. The grim discovery was made as the unidentified remains passed through X-ray equipment in a cardboard box.
The skulls, found during checks at Queretaro intercontinental airport in central Mexico, were wrapped in aluminium foil.
Mexico’s National Guard said the package originated from the western coastal state of Michoacan – one of the most violent parts of the country – and was destined for an address in Manning, South Carolina.
South Carolina is located on the US east coast.
The National Guard gave no further details on the age, identity or possible motive for the sending of the human remains.
Transferring human remains requires a special permit from a competent health authority which was not obtained, the force said.
Revealing the gruesome find on Twitter, the National Guard said on Friday: “During inspections at parcel delivery companies and through X-ray equipment, Guardia Nacional detected four skulls of apparently human origin at the Querétaro Intercontinental Airport, wrapped in transparent plastic and aluminium foil, with no health record.”
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The Transportation Security Administration said in a tweet alongside the image: “A dog was accidentally sent through the X-ray @msn_airport this week.
“When travelling with any animal, notify your airline & know their rules.
“At the checkpoint, remove your pet from the bag and send all items, including the empty carrier, to be screened in the machine.”
