Police in New Zealand are investigating after a family discovered human remains inside suitcases they had bought at an auction from a storage facility.
After unloading their purchases at home, the residents of a South Auckland home made the horrifying discovery.
Police have opened a homicide investigation and are looking for the remains’ identity.
It is assumed that the family was not a part of the incident.
It is believed that the family visited the storage facility last Thursday and bought a trailer-load of belongings, which included the luggage, from a nearby storage business.
According to detective inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua, the residents transported the property back to their house after making the find.
Several neighbours of the family also reported a “wicked smell” emanating from the property before police arrived, according to Stuff.
One neighbour – a former worker at a crematorium – said the smell was immediately recognisable.
“I knew straight away and I thought, where is that coming from?” he said, referring to the residents’ property.
Another neighbour reported that her son had seen a suitcase being removed from the trailer and put inside the forensic tent that had been set up all around the property.
A trailer was placed on the property’s front driveway, which is located in the suburban neighbourhood of Clendon Park, as police conducted their investigations, according to video that was uploaded by the New Zealand news outlet Stuff.
According to police officials, their top objective is to “confirm the deceased’s identity so that we can determine the exact circumstances surrounding the discovery.”
It would take time to notify the next of kin due to the “nature of the discovery,” they noted.
