New Zealand police have launched a homicide investigation after the remains of two children were found in suitcases bought by a family at an online auction, police said CNN reported.

In a statement, police said they were alerted to the case last week when the family from the South Auckland suburb of Manurewa reported finding human body parts in several items they bought from a storage facility.

The family is not connected to the children's deaths, police said."

The children—likely to have been between ages 5 and 10—may have been dead for a number of years, perhaps three or four, Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua said at a news conference.

A postmortem examination is being conducted to try to determine the children's identity, Vaaelua said. Investigators are also looking for clues as to how, when and where the children died.

Vaaelua said police were working with Interpol and have opened inquiries with overseas agencies, but initial inquiries suggest relatives of the victims are in New Zealand.