Mexican authorities have reportedly found the burnt-out car believed to belong to one of the missing Perth brothers as three people have been arrested over their disappearance.
Callum and Jake Robinson had been on a surfing and camping trip in the Baja California region of Mexico, near Ensenada when they vanished.
Their family and friends took to social media in a desperate plea for information that could help track them down after they failed to make it to their holiday accommodation in Rosarito and had not made contact since Saturday.
The pair were travelling with an American citizen, Jack Carter Rhoad, who is also missing.
On Friday, Baja California Attorney General María Elena Andrade Ramírez told reporters that three Mexican people — a woman and two men — have been arrested in connection with their disappearance.
Ms Ramírez said authorities were concentrating on three abandoned tents south of the Ensenada region where the boys were believed to be staying before they disappeared.
Local media Zeta reported that blood had been discovered in the tents and that a truck belonging to one of the brothers had been found burnt-out at a nearby farm.
Late on Thursday, a woman was arrested after Mexican authorities discovered she was in possession of one of the men’s mobile phones.
It is understood police were able to track down the phone after it pinged a cell phone tower. It is believed to have had a photo of one of the missing men.
It was reported that police also found a quantity of methamphetamine on her.
On Friday, news broke that two more men had been arrested and that they were also allegedly found with drugs.
The search for the West Australians and their American friend — who are all aged in their 30s — has been focused around San Juan de las Pulgas and Punta San Jose, in the Mexican state of Baja California.
Ms Ramírez said a search and investigation had been launched after police had seen reports of their disappearance circulating on social media.
“Very important time was lost,” she said.
Local journalist Oliver Quintero told ABC Radio Perth that the stolen phone had been used to locate the woman.
“That is actually how (the three people) were found,” he said.
“The police were able to track the GPS on one of the phones and that’s how they got the lady — she was the one who had the phone and was with the other two gentlemen.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday morning that the Australian embassy in Mexico was working with local authorities.
“This is a really concerning situation,” he told Seven’s Sunrise program.
“Our embassy in Mexico is working with local authorities as well to try to ascertain what has happened here.
“We certainly hope that these brothers are found safely but there is real concern about the fact that they’ve gone missing.
“Their mother is obviously very distressed about this and we just hope for a positive outcome.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia’s embassy in Mexico and the AFP were working to support local authorities.
The Department of Foreign Affairs is also providing consular support to the men’s families.
“My first and most important point is I want to emphasise that my personal thoughts and the thoughts of all of us are with the families of the missing men,” she said.
“We are obviously deeply concerned, deeply worried.”
In a statement to The Nightly on Thursday, their mother Debra said the family was deeply distressed by the situation.
“We sincerely appreciate everyone’s concern and thoughts,” Mrs Robinson said.
“We continue to have hope that our two beautiful sons are found.
“It is a deeply distressing time for us and (we) ask the media to respect our privacy at this time.”