The Federal Government Identifies 649 Criminal Leaders and Confirms the Operation of 78 Criminal Groups in Mexico

“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat 

The Mexican government presented an ambitious criminal intelligence plan that marks a new stage in the national security strategy. According to the first work report of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), headed by Omar García Harfuch, 649 leaders and priority targets of organized crime have been identified, as well as the operation of 78 active criminal organizations in the country.

The document details that, with the new intelligence powers, the SSPC prepared 258 identification files that include general information, background information, areas of operation, relevant links, and other key elements to advance investigations and arrests. In addition, the agency integrated five databases with information on members of various criminal organizations.

The report also reports the detection of six hierarchical, family, and operational networks within criminal groups, although the names of the organizations were not revealed. These actions, according to the text, allowed for a “comprehensive visualization of the configuration of criminal groups and the guidance of strategic interventions” in different regions of the country.

In the financial sphere, the Secretariat conducted 16 risk analyses and seven timelines to track the flow of money used by criminal organizations. These exercises seek to detect economic patterns and links between individuals and legal entities involved in illicit activities.

The agency also conducted seven specialized analyses on the incidence of crime in strategic sectors such as the automotive sector and in border areas in northern and southern Mexico, which allowed for the design of more targeted actions. The products generated include heat maps, travel routes, state diagnostics, and reports from 133 priority municipalities to identify risk factors and relevant actors.

During his recent appearance before the Senate, García Harfuch highlighted that this new intelligence-based strategy has improved the Secretariat’s operational effectiveness by 240% compared to the previous year. “Today, investigations are based on evidence, data, and coordination with federal entities, which strengthens response capacity and directly benefits municipalities,” he stated.

With this report, the federal government seeks to consolidate a criminal intelligence system that not only reactivates the pursuit of priority targets but also strengthens institutional coordination to more effectively confront organized crime throughout the country.

Source: Segundo a Segundo