Mexican authorities have arrested six individuals in connection with the brutal killing of at least eight people in Cancun. The arrests were made after five dismembered bodies were found inside a taxi on January 29. Officials seized drugs, firearms, motorcycles, and cars from the suspects, the New York Post reports.

Prosecutors alleged that the suspects hacked up five people with a machete and buried three others in a shallow grave. Additionally, authorities announced the arrest of 23 people who allegedly operated a fake tour agency as a front for a drug operation in Cancun. The operation involved a “call center” that offered tourist trips and sports equipment but was used for drug dealings.

In a separate incident, an American woman and a Belizean man were shot to death in Tulum, south of Cancun, on February 9, during a dispute between drug dealers at a beach club.

Last year, Mexican authorities closed down 23 pharmacies at Caribbean coast resorts due to concerns about fake opioids. The U.S. State Department had issued warnings about counterfeit drugs, which sometimes contain fentanyl.

In 2021, two tourists—one German and a California travel blogger born in India—were killed in Tulum during a gunfight between rival drug dealers. Despite safety concerns, Mexico’s tourism industry continues to thrive, with Cancun being a top destination.

Last year, the U.S. State Department issued a travel alert warning travelers to exercise increased situational awareness, especially after dark, at Mexico’s Caribbean beach resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. Nevertheless, Mexico remains a popular tourist destination, with significant economic contributions from foreign visitors.