Human remains found in 45 bags in western Mexico appear to match those of missing call center operators, state prosecutors in the Mexican state of Jalisco said.

Jalisco's prosecutor's office said the remains were still undergoing forensic tests to formally identify the bodies, Reuters reported.

"According to preliminary information, the discoveries in the neighborhood of Mirador Escondido in Sapopan match the physical characteristics of some of the young people who are being sought," the statement said.

Authorities found the remains earlier this week in a suburb of Jalisco's capital, Guadalajara, as part of a search for seven call center operators in their 20s and 30s who went missing.

An eighth person, potentially connected to the group, is also missing.

According to government figures, more than 100.000 people are currently missing in Mexico, where organized crime has ravaged parts of the country.

Jalisco is known for drug cartels, including the Jalisco New Generation cartel and rivals Nueva Plaza.