A group of children in Argentina reportedly discovered human remains while playing in an abandoned home in Rosario, about 190 miles from Buenos Aires. Police arrived at the property in the Villa Fantasma neighborhood on September 2 after the children made the horrific discovery. The remains were reportedly decomposed and badly burned.
The news outlet Rio Negro reported that police confirmed the remains were male with a significantly burned torso, according to Newsweek. The discovery is among 168 reported violent deaths in Rosario in 2023, with many of the killings linked to the drug trade.
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There may be more bodies in the area.
The area where the children discovered the remains is in an area of Rosario known for drug-related crime, Newsweek reported. During the investigation, police reportedly found locks of hair in the area that did not appear to be from the burned body. The hair will be analyzed to help determine who it belongs to.
Investigators are also reportedly looking into an area of disturbed earth near the abandoned home to see if any other bodies were buried there.
Drug-related violence plagues Rosario.
The town made international headlines last spring when a drug cartel threatened violence against Argentinian soccer star Lionel Messi. The AP reported in March that drug traffickers allegedly opened fire at a supermarket owned by his in-laws and left a note on a piece of cardboard that read, "Messi, we’re waiting for you.”
President Alberto Fernández promised an increase in security.
Fernández pledged to increase the number of security forces in Rosario to 1,400 in March, the AP reported. “I understand that Rosario needs us,” Fernández said in a recorded video message. “I know that their security forces are insufficient.”
The AP also reported that he planned to install 600 new surveillance cameras with facial recognition software and to open a new branch of the country’s anti-money laundering agency to tackle drug-related financing.
The United States has its own drug-related violence problems.
Drug-related crimes take place in the US as well, each day. The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics reported that more than 47,000 Americans are arrested yearly for offenses related to manufacturing and selling heroin, cocaine, and their derivatives, according to Newsweek.
Additionally, the center reported more than 227,000 Americans are arrested annually on charges of possession of heroin and cocaine, and 1.6 million Americans are arrested in connection with crimes related to selling and manufacturing those drugs, Newsweek reported.
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Millions of Americans use illegal drugs.
According to Caron Treatment Center, 53 million Americans 12 and older have used an illegal drug in the last year; that’s 19.4% of all Americans. A total of 11.7% of Americans 12 and older are regular drug users, and 39% of Americans 18 to 25 years old have used illegal drugs in the last year. Caron noted that 70% of people who try drugs before age 13 will develop an addiction within seven years.
“As evidenced by these statistics and demographics, drug use, drug addiction, and overdose death from drugs are on the rise. It’s vital to spread awareness about the dangers of drug use — even for first-time users," Caron shares.
