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Mexican authorities have confirmed that five of the ten workers abducted last month from a Canadian-operated mine in Sinaloa have been found dead.

Getting into it: The discovery came on the heels of an intensive search following the January 23 abduction of ten employees from Vizsla Silver Corp., a Canadian mining company operating near Mazatlán. Authorities located several clandestine graves in the rural locality of El Verde, about 10 miles north of the abduction site. The bodies of five victims have been identified so far, including José Manuel Castañeda Hernández, a 43-year-old geologist and father of two from Guerrero. His brother, Jaime Castañeda, confirmed the identification after being shown photographs by federal officials. Two other victims, Ignacio Aurelio Salazar Flores (40) and José Ángel Hernández Vélez (37), both from Zacatecas, were also identified by family members and public officials. Authorities are still working to confirm the identities of the remaining victims found at the site.

The Mexican Attorney General’s Office reported the arrest of four individuals believed to be connected to the kidnappings. Officials said the suspects led investigators to the grave sites. Although no official motive has been confirmed, authorities suspect the crime may be tied to the ongoing violent conflict between rival factions of the Sinaloa Cartel (Los Chapitos and La Mayiza), which have been battling for control of the region.

This comes as Sinaloa remains one of Mexico’s most dangerous states, with more than 7,000 people currently listed as missing. Nationwide, the number of missing persons has exceeded 132,000. In Sinaloa alone, 2025 has marked the most violent year in over a decade, with more than 1,680 homicides recorded.