Mexico is the world paradise of 'criminal markets'

Human trafficking and smuggling, financial fraud, drug sales, piracy trade and floor collection. In a global list of “criminal markets” made up of 193 countries, Mexico comes out on top, exposing the reach that criminal groups have in Latin America's second economy. According to the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), the organization in charge of the published index, the upward trends in Mexico are very worrying.

The nonprofit organization recently released its Global Organized Crime Index, a biennial study that combines hundreds of indicators to rank the countries most affected by crime. In this index, Myanmar, Colombia and Mexico occupy the first three places, in that order. Paraguay and the Democratic Republic of the Congo follow.

A subindex within its report focuses on “criminal markets” and their penetration into economies. In this, Mexico takes the crown, driven by the high incidence of illegal protection charges, human trafficking, cocaine trade and synthetic drugs. “What is evolving for the worse in terms of violence are two trends, the issue of extortion through fee collection… and criminalization in very strong industries such as agriculture,” says Romain Le Cour Grandmaison, specialist researcher and one of the authors of the report. “The trends are very worrying,” he adds.

Transporters, who are now targets of organized crime and whose murders have been increasing in recent years, have been among those who have complained the most about criminal markets, Le Cour Grandmaison exposes. “It is not possible to escape criminal pressure in transportation activity, and this is part of the very strong penetration that exists in the economy based on protection charges. That is to say, if you don't obey something is going to happen to you, you better pay,” says the specialist.

Although organized crime has entered many productive activities in Mexico, the drug trade continues to be a high incidence indicator, according to the GI-TOC report. “Along with the expansion of the cocaine market in the Americas, there has been a significant increase in the trade in synthetic drugs,” the text reads. “North America is the third most affected region in the world in this regard. Within the continent, Mexico seems to be the most affected by this market.” In 2022, the country emerged as a major player in the synthetic drug trade and saw an increase in the popularity and production of ketamine, methamphetamine and fentanyl, the researchers wrote.

The weapons that empower organized crime come mostly from Mexico's first trading partner: the United States. According to the report, between 70% and 90% of the guns that appeared at crime scenes in Mexico came from the United States. “Drug cartels obtain weapons in Texas and Arizona and smuggle them across the border.” , says the report. “This initial flow sets in motion a chain reaction that turns all Central American countries into transit and destination points for the illegal arms trade and fuels violence and insecurity.”

Although GI-TOC does not make recommendations focused on each of the countries with the highest crime rates, the organization does refer to the problem of transnational organized crime as a global one. He recommends “facing it” strategically and giving priority to financial crimes, which enable other types of crimes. In addition, the organization calls for focusing on the links between crime and corruption.

“Organized crime continues to be a profound challenge throughout the world, which poses a danger to both developed and developing countries and is an obstacle to the much-needed international cooperation, amidst political inequalities, social and economic growth,” the analysts concluded.

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