Puebla state police said yesterday the victims were not killed at the spot where they were dumped.
Puebla authorities said they were cooperating with Veracruz officials in the investigation of the deaths.
They said there had been no reports of the disappearance of that number of people in Puebla, strongly implying the victims were killed in another state.
Veracruz has been riven by turf battles between drug gangs.
Earlier yesterday, six people were shot to death at a bar in the Veracruz city of Orizaba. The victims included one journalist.