More than 100 graves have been desecrated in a cemetery near Benin's capital, Porto-Novo, police say, BBC News reported.

The grave robbers cut the heads off the bodies and also stole some internal organs. There is a suspicion the crime is linked to extreme Voodoo practices of using body parts as lucky charms. It is the first such incident in the West African nation, where Voodoo is an official religion.

According to BBC News, the desecrated graves were discovered by a mason who had forgotten his tools at the 20-acre (eight-hectare) cemetery in Dangbo near Porto-Novo. The mason alerted the police who found that up to 100 graves had been tampered with overnight.

Relatives have been traumatised by the mutilations as most people believe in reincarnation. They fear their loved ones will be reincarnated with body parts missing.

A high priest told the BBC such practices were not recognised by the mainstream Voodoo religion - and condemned the grave desecrations.

Voodoo followers - who make up some 40% of Benin's population - believe that all life is driven by spiritual forces of natural phenomena such as water, fire, earth and air, and that these should be honoured through rituals like animal sacrifices.