Human remains found in suitcases were two young children, New Zealand police say

New Zealand police investigators work at a scene in Auckland on August 11, after bodies were discovered in suitcases. Photograph: Dean Purcell/AP

Human remains discovered in suitcases bought at a New Zealand auction belong to two young children and are thought to have been concealed for a number of years, police say.

Police launched a homicide investigation on 12 August, after an Auckland family unsuspectingly bought the suitcases in an online auction at a storage facility. They transported their purchases home before making the discovery and contacting police. The family is not linked to the deaths, police said.