The Mexican Employers Federation said Monday that armed thieves broke into a freight storage area and stole 20 freight containers filled with partly refined gold and silver ore and television sets.

The robbery occurred on June 4 at a freight storage area in Manzanillo, a port city on the Pacific coast. Officials confirmed the robbery was an act of organized crime.

“This was a very serious organized crime operation,” Horacio Duarte, the head of Mexico's customs service said.

Jose Medina Mora, the president of the Mexican Employers Federation, said crime rates are rising in Mexico.

“There is a growing lack of safety, and this is a sign of what is happening in the country and it requires that authorities take action,” Medina Mora said.

About 10 thieves searched through shipping containers for hours. The thieves sorted through the containers and then packed their trucks with the content they wanted, local media reported.

The thieves and the containers have not been found. This robbery is considered notably larger than other freight robberies in Mexico, as usually only one is stolen at a time.

It is believed that the thieves can sell the television sets on the black market, but gold and silver buyers usually want to know the origin of the items.

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