Mexico, where you can buy human remains for MXN $20

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You can buy a femur for MXN $20 in a cemetery in Mexico , or a skull for MXN $2,500 at the Mercado de Sonora in Mexico City , which is used in medical school practices or in magic rituals.

Uncertain of their origin, young people, mostly, attend these places in search of skeletal remains for their homework, a lab practice, or just to learn the body parts.

Juan Carlos “N” was detained last Thursday, who claims to have murdered over 20 women, and also says he raped some of them, and after murdering them, he sold their remains. EL UNIVERSAL toured several cemeteries and the Sonora Market , the managers said that “because of what happened” in the case of the so-called “ Monster of Ecatepec ”, it was complicated to obtain a bone, but after four hours we could obtain a femur and another one that seems to be a rib.

The rules established by the General Health Law in regards to Health Control of the Disposition of Organs, Tissue, Human Remains indicates, in its 29th article, that “the acquisition, keeping, conservation, preparation, and using of organs, tissues, and products from alive human beings or corpses for therapeutic, scientific research, or teaching can only be carried out through authorized institutions,” therefore, its sale is illegal.

At the Sonora Market and cemeteries in Mexico City , it was proven that there are those who sell human bones, and even promises to obtain certain parts, such as the skull, legs, and arms, as long as you are willing to give them money in advance.

Joaquín sells herbs and teas. His stall is almost at the end of the Canal alley, at the back of the market. When we asked him where could we find those kinds of remains, he answered: “If you wait, I'll bring you one right now.”

He walked over to the stall where they sell santería products; in less than five minutes he was back with a black bag.

“They only have this, they're small bones, but they say they are real human bones. Almost everyone sells powdered bones, and if you previously order them, they can get you a skull, arms, feet, but you would have to give them around MXN $1,000 in advance.”

“And how much for these?”, we asked him, “MXN $100 for each,” said Joaquín.

Later, in a cemetery in Mexico City , EL UNIVERSAL 's team passed themselves off as a criminology student's family members, who needed the bones for a school practice. In the end, we obtained a bone that was next to a grave for MXN $20.

“Do you want some water?" whispered Juan. “No, we're actually looking for someone who sells bones; it's for my younger brother, he studies criminology.”

Then Juan said: “It's pretty difficult, sometimes they come looking for someone who sells them and they call us grave profaners, but if he's going to use them for his practices, for his studies...” he added. He explained that the majority of those who want to buy bones are medicine students: “many have come here, secretly because this is a very delicate issue.”

To prevent these practices, the UNAM started the Corpses Donation Program , with which it commits to treat the human remains ethically, in order to drive, develop, and generate knowledge in regards to medical and forensic sciences.

Pedro was afraid of us being part of the authorities, so he wasn't willing to tell us where to find those who sell skulls and bones , “They ask for a lot of money, but with everything that's going on right now, it's very risky, I don't know if you're inspectors.”

He offered to walk around the cemetery and look for bones, “I can go with you. Here, when they bury new people, they pull out the other remains and leave them everywhere.”

He also told us that on Tuesdays and Fridays, women who practice “ witchcraft ” visit the cemetery and make rituals; “they also look for bones or bury things.”

Suddenly, next to a grave, he found a long bone and yelled: “I found one!”, as if it were a treasure, and started to measure it. “It's long, I don't think it's an arm,” he said, while he guided us to the cemetery's exit, where we gave him MXN $20, so he could buy his soda.