AUTHORITIES in central Mexico said on Tuesday that they found the dead bodies of nine men in vehicles near a fuel pipeline.

The circumstances around the deaths remained under investigation, but there were indications that fuel theft may have been involved. 

Mexico faces a problem with gangs that steal petrol, diesel and natural gas from government pipelines.

Angel Rangel Nieves, police chief of San Juan del Rio city in the central state of Queretaro, said the bodies were found in two vehicles near the pipeline north of Mexico City. 

Since taking office in December 2018, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (Amlo) has made fighting fuel theft a central goal of his administration. 

But despite thousands of troops being deployed to guard pipelines, thousands of illegal taps are still found every year.

In 2023, about 5,600 illegal taps were found nationwide. That was down from over 7,000 in 2022 but almost the same level as when Amlo took office.

Stolen fuels are often sold by the side of the road and sometimes through licenced gas stations.

The pipeline taps cause violence between gangs and pose a risk to residents. To gain support among local people, thieves sometimes leave taps open.