Police in the eastern state found two trucks carrying the bodies near a shopping mall in the municipality of Boca del Rio, Attorney General Reynaldo Escobar Perez said.

Seven of the dead had been identified on September 20. A government database indicated that they had criminal backgrounds including extortion, homicide and drug trafficking, he said.

The dead included 12 women and 23 men. Their bodies showed signs of violence, Escobar said, without providing further details.

After blocking traffic, the two trucks were abandoned in the middle of the road, witnesses said. Their gates were left open, allowing bodies to fall out.

Hours later, blood stains remained on the road as troops stood guard.

Boca del Rio is in Veracruz state´s most populated area. It has become a frequent site of clashes between armed groups as drug-related violence grows.