The theft of cargo shipments, including the hijacking of entire trucks, is a well-known scourge in Mexico. But the good news is that in most parts of the country, the number of cargo thefts has been declining sharply for months. This was triggered by the new Balam strategy introduced by the Sheinbaum government. However, Mexico City’s metropolitan area remains a criminal hotspot despite targeted government countermeasures.
Despite this fact, the key message delivered during the press briefing was that twelve of the 31 Mexican states selected by the government for fighting crime in the transportation sector, have achieved significantly better security figures compared to a year before. The scheme, announced a year ago by President Claudia Sheinbaum, bundles regional and national security efforts to combat cargo thefts targeting transport operators in Mexico.
Balam strategy works
National Guard commander, Hernán Cortés Hernández, who now presented the first results of the strategy to the press, stated that over the past seven months, theft has been reduced by 28% in 12 Mexican states, and the recovery of cargo vehicles has increased by 24%, compared to the same period last year.
According to Señor Cortés, the core elements of the Balam Strategy are as follows:
Increased personnel and technical resources for highway units, to boost on-the-spot inspections and patrols on vulnerable stretches of the transnational road network, such as between Mexico City and Puebla.
The establishment of field companies that serve as rapid-response forces in the event of incidents.
Increased deployment of manned and unmanned aircraft conducting reconnaissance missions and gathering intelligence.
Centralization of data to track criminal activities and their initiators and masterminds.
The Balam Strategy is rounded off by the deployment of 1,241 specialists, 23 investigative units, and the provision of 532 vehicles, 4 helicopters, and 37 drones.
In a nutshell: It is a data-driven, cross-provincial network of security experts who have been equipped, technically and operationally, by the central government, in accordance with their respective missions and tasks.
Alerts via app
Hernán Cortés, who presented the interim results of the Balam scheme, illustrated that its core component is a command-and-control center, where incidents are monitored and responses are coordinated. Truck drivers can send alerts via an App on their cell phones, this way transmitting geolocation data directly to authorities. This activates highway patrol units closest to the incident to intervene immediately, supported by GPS-equipped vehicles and aerial surveillance capabilities. Monitoring centers operated by logistics companies also have become part of the Balam security network by continuously updating coordinates of their vehicles and sharing incident reports with authorities real-time.
Dark spots remain
However, despite these security improvements, cargo theft remains highly concentrated in specific regions, particularly in Mexico City’s metropolitan region or along the routes to Felipe Angeles International Airport. Industry associations speak of critical last-mile corridors. This is confirmed by authorities that emphasize the necessity of targeted counter measures in the capital area.
Despite the regionally improved security regime, incidents continue to occur daily, indicating persistent exposure. Transport operators still face an average of up to three assaults each day.
Officials of the Mexican Association of Private Security and Satellite Industry Companies, speak of USD 386 million in annual losses caused by cargo theft across the state. These are provoked by structural and external factors such as cybercrime, social erosion, hijacking of vehicles, drug trafficking and organized crime activity.
