In recent years, as the Mexican government continues its fight against synthetic drug production by criminal organizations, it has also faced a growing challenge: fuel theft. Criminal groups have diversified their operations, increasingly turning to the theft of hydrocarbons, commonly known in Mexico as "huachicol."
Fuel theft has become a highly profitable enterprise for cartels and other criminal organizations, with the federal government estimating losses of more than $3 billion annually. As the illicit fuel trade has expanded, so have allegations of corruption involving politicians and federal agents accused of facilitating or profiting from the black market.
