Investigators say four women are being held in the western Mexican city of Guadalajara in connection with an apparent child-trafficking ring that aimed to supply babies to childless Irish couples. The Jalisco state prosecutor's office says a 21-year-old woman has been arrested after a relative reported that she was "renting out" one of her children. The woman said she had been paid to give the child to a group of three women who needed baby pictures for legitimate advertising purposes. Investigators found the other three women were taking the child and several others to a hotel where Irish couples believed they were going to adopt them. Officials are investigating whether the Irish couples and Mexican mothers were tricked.

Mexican officials say they have arrested four men in the kidnapping and slaying of a marine officer, his two sons and his wife in the western state of Guerrero.

The Secretary of the Navy's office said in a statement that the victims disappeared on Dec. 16. One of the children is also a marine officer and the other is an enlisted marine. Several of the suspects arrested Friday have confessed to kidnapping them at a fake checkpoint and killing them.

The Navy Secretary's statement on Saturday said that the four men had been seized along with several firearms, ammunition and a set of handcuffs. It did not say if the men were associated with a particular criminal group. Investigators are searching for the bodies.