A family in New Zealand discovers human remains in bags they purchased at an auction.

It has been alleged that human remains were discovered in bags purchased at an auction in a storage facility in Auckland, New Zealand.

A homicide inquiry into the incident has been launched by the police. Unspecified numbers of remains are thought to have been kept in the luggage that a winning bidder’s family transported home, according to media outlet Newshub.

Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua, a police official, said that the family called them on Thursday after finding out. The family is not a suspect in the homicide, according to the authorities.

The number of victims was being ascertained through a post-mortem examination, according to the police.

‘We appreciate there is significant public interest in what has occurred. The priority for police is to confirm the identification of the deceased so that we can establish the full circumstances behind the discovery,’ Vaaelua added.

For storage units with unpaid bills, it’s normal practise to auction off abandoned items.

Police, according to Vaaelua, ‘do not currently perceive any immediate risk to the public as a result of this occurrence.’