Freight movement into and out of Mexico is still a daunting proposition for shippers. 

 
In November, the Mexican authorities reported that cargo theft rose 4.5% in a year-over-year report. Mexico reported 11,958 cargo crimes committed in the period of Jan-Nov 2022. In November alone, 1,181 thefts occurred; this averages to 39.5 incidents a day. The state of Mexico reported 448 theft cases in November, followed by the states of Puebla at 252 and Guanajuato at 162. 

Thieves targeted the following commodities: food, fuel, construction materials, auto parts, and consumer electronic products. 

Trade groups are pressuring the Mexican government to crack down on cargo theft before the recent growth in near-shoring is stopped by the growing cargo security risk. 

Organized criminal groups are responsible for much of this loss. These groups utilize a variety of methods to steal cargo: pilferage at warehouses and hijacking, are the two leading methods of loss. These groups are known to use violence, and there are incidents of truck drivers who are injured or killed during hijacks. 

To reduce the risk of cargo loss, shippers into Mexico should take precautions.

Conventional methods include: 

• GPS tracking
• Security cameras on trucks
• Tamper-resistant seals
• Working with security companies to provide escorts for critical shipments

Secure warehousing for storage and pre-shipment packaging are also considered best practices for cargo security. 

 
The freight experts at NNR continue to monitor the situation and can collaborate with your team to provide the most up-to-date information to make the correct cross-border choices.