Police in New Zealand have begun a murder investigation after human remains were allegedly found in an auctioned suitcase.
An undisclosed number of human remains, believed to have been stored in the case, were discovered after a family bought a storage unit at an auction in Auckland.
The unsuspecting made the gruesome discovery after returning home with their lot.
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They called police to their home in South Auckland on Thursday a police official confirmed.
Police do not believe the family were involved in the suspected homicide.
"The priority for police is to confirm the identification of the deceased so that we can establish the full circumstances behind the discovery," the police official added.
A post-mortem examination was underway and forensic investigators were trying to determine the number of victims, police said.
The auctioning of abandoned contents is a common practice for storage units with unpaid bills.
The owner of a storage unit in Papatoetoe, South Auckland, told news website Stuff that the business is cooperating with police in relation to the investigation.
Media outlet Newshub reported that police could be dealing with remains from multiple bodies.
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