Mexico ranks third internationally as the country with the most and most serious organized crime.According to Global Organized Crime Index 2025 Prepared by Global Initiatives against transnational organized crime (Jatok).
Only Mexico lags behind in this study. myanmar and ColumbiaAnd it highlights the country’s increasingly complex multiplicity of illicit markets, criminal networks, and institutional weaknesses. The country achieved a score of 7.68 out of 10 on crime, surpassing its previous record of 7.57 in 2023.
According to the report released on November 10th, Mexico tops the global index. criminal marketthe rating is 8.27.
he Synthetic drug trafficking, extortion, and arms trafficking The highest scores were concentrated, each with 9 points. Authorities believe that the main criminal groups are: sinaloa cartel and Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG)We are expanding our influence over new crimes such as . human trafficking, sexual exploitation, theft of fuel and vaticor, environmental crime, and cybercrime.
Human trafficking and smuggling mainly affect the southern region. Chiapas, Oaxaca, Guerrerowhere indigenous people They are the main victims. He also points out that transfer And socio-economic disadvantage increases the presence of criminal organizations on routes to the United States.
Other sectors such as agriculture, commerce and fishing have also been hit. blackmailwith a focus on the avocado industry and coastal fisheries.
expansion of counterfeit product It contributes to a criminal economy that includes the trade in tobacco, alcohol, medicine, and clothing. area like Tepito Markets in Mexico City and the northern states remain the center of the population. Distribution of illegal products.
Arms trafficking, more than estimated 13 million units are unregistered in Japanthe report says, will increase the firepower of criminal organizations.
of environmental crime Their importance in Mexican crime is increasing. Criminal networks with territorial power are operating illegal logginghe Seed trafficking Like jaguars and reptiles, against Asia and its domination. mining and fuel theft.
he Global Organized Crime Index 2025 assigned to mexico Its institutional resilience score was 4.50 out of 10, ranking it 111th out of 193 countries analyzed.. This indicator reflects the limits of a state’s ability to contain the advance of criminal networks.
The report notes that the justice system faces challenges such as: Corruption, lack of resources and political pressureAt the same time as the militarization of public security, national guard, The perception of anxiety has not been reversed.
The report highlights the following points: The influence of criminal organizations on government structures at all levels. The control of prisons by cartels and “organized bribery” in the prison system poses a major challenge to the nation.
The findings of this report provide an unprecedented quantitative investigation of organized crime in Mexico.
- Total number of crimes: Mexico ranks third among the 193 countries assessed, after Myanmar and Colombia, as the country with the most organized crime.
- National corruption: The country ranks among the top five in the world for criminal infiltration rates within governments and national forces, comparable to sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.
- Crime-related violence and murder: Mexico is one of the world’s five worst countries in this area, with a higher rate than countries at war such as Sudan and Nigeria.
- Drug distribution: We are among the top three companies in the world in terms of network capacity, volume and sophistication, particularly in the synthetic drugs and fentanyl space.
- Justice system and prisons: It is one of the 25 worst prison systems on the planet. The report ranks the country between 170th and 190th due to its low judicial independence and high arrest rate of criminals.
- Money laundering: Mexico is one of the 30 most vulnerable countries, ranking above 160th in the global assessment.
- International cooperation: The country ranks in the bottom third of the world in terms of coordination and implementation of joint crime-fighting strategies (approximately 130th to 193rd).
The report highlights that organized crime is not only expanding in traditional markets, but also creating forms of violence and crime that are increasingly interconnected, adaptive and difficult to combat, especially in the face of states being exploited by criminal actors.
“Multi-headed hydra-like criminal group They adapt quickly, taking advantage of new or escalating conflicts. In line with digital advances” states the GIATOC study.
The results show that the global problem of organized crime is progressing faster than countries can strengthen their response capacities, with 57 countries with high crime and low resilience increasing in 2023 to 66 in 2025.
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