GLOBAL ORGANIZED CRIME INDEX ALERT 2021
The analysis, which will be updated every two years, with the participation of 350 experts, examines the crime situation in 193 UN member countries.
Mexico has become the country with the largest criminal market in the world and the fourth nation most affected by crime, which illustrates the deficiencies and weaknesses in various systems such as criminal justice and corruption while demonstrating the levels of resistance of organized crime in our country.
According to the Global Organized Crime Index 2021, of the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime, Mexico has a score of 8 and 7.57 in the criminal market indicator and crime in general, respectively, on a scale of 1 to 10, where between the higher a country’s crime score, the more severe its crime conditions.
These scores place our country in the first place of 193 nations where serious crimes are committed such as human trafficking and trafficking, arms trafficking, flora and fauna, as well as a country with a large trade in drugs ranging from heroin even cannabis.
While it is the fourth in the world and the second in the American continent, with the largest presence of organized criminal groups, including cartels and corruption networks. Only below countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Colombia and Myanmar.
In terms of criminal trade, the index indicates that during 2020, Mexico is positioned as a transit country for human trafficking, mainly for Central American victims heading to the north of the nation. While sex trafficking within Mexico and to the United States is also substantial, this despite strict border regulations due to Covid-19, which caused fewer victims, but at a higher value.
The pandemic was also said to have exacerbated collusion between corrupt officials and traffickers who prey on migrants through forced participation in criminal economies or extortion, with officials relying less on bribery and more on organized crime ties. to make a profit.
” Mexico’s human trafficking market is the largest and most sophisticated in the region since it is a large country and serves as a country of origin and transit, mainly to the United States, ” the report highlights.
Likewise, in the case of illegal trade, it was detailed that Mexico has a well-established arms trafficking market, so these well-established mechanisms allow easy access to weapons in the country.
“The immense flow of illicit weapons from the United States, along with grenades and RPG-7s from Central America and the leakage of weapons from corrupt security forces, exacerbates armed violence and criminal weaponry,” it said.
Regarding those crimes related to the environment, the report highlights that Mexico is a country of origin and transit of regional flora products, especially between Brazil and the United States. In addition, the illicit timber market has grown in the last three decades, affecting rural communities, who are forced to pay protection fees, and those in resistance face kidnappings or disappearances.
While wildlife trafficking is facilitated by corrupt authorities, it generates significant profits and a greater demand for wildlife, with species such as jaguars, golden eagles, parrots, macaws and reptiles, the most trafficked.
On the other hand, the report also analyzed fuel theft in our country, noting that it is increasing, with some groups focused exclusively on these operations thanks to corrupt officials who facilitate the theft and redistribution of illicit profits.
In addition to illegal gold and silver mining, and formal companies face armed robbery, allegedly by cartels, as well as extortion and kidnapping of mining personnel.
The index also highlighted that increased demand from US drug users who switched from the use of prescription painkillers to street heroin led to an increase in production in Mexico. However, increased poppy cultivation and oversupply are eroding the value of poppy paste.
Additionally, Mexican cartels are also involved in the production and transportation of methamphetamine and, increasingly, fentanyl. While Mexico remains the largest foreign supplier of Cannabis to the United States.
Finally, it was said that Mexico’s cocaine trade is less consolidated due to the internal fragmentation of the cartels, although the market is large.
Large presence of criminal actors
Experts emphasize that Mexico’s drug trafficking organizations are among the most sophisticated mafia groups in the world, despite the fact that the fragmentation of the cartels reduced the number of groups with large international operations since those that remain have networks that cover most of the world.
“Drug trafficking organizations focus on international drug trafficking, generating billions of dollars in revenue annually, but numerous sources of income, including oil theft, illegal logging, human trafficking, kidnapping, and extortion is deeply ingrained,
It was also said that because drug cartels control much of the territory, co-opting the state through bribery and intimidation, politicians are frequently killed or threatened by gangs trying to ensure that cooperative politicians hold office.
“While state-owned actors do not control criminal markets, corruption within government and law enforcement agencies facilitates criminal networks and influences illicit activities, providing income to high-ranking public officials,” embodies the document.
“The government lacks a coherent security strategy”
Finally, in terms of resilience, that is, the way in which comprehensive and effective responses to organized crime are provided, Mexico was ranked 112 worldwide, with a score of 4.46, however, unlike criminality, the higher a country’s resilience score, the more effective its response measures to organized crime.
On the subject, it was said that the militarized and heavy-handed approach to combat organized crime has produced mixed results in Mexico, already while corruption is widespread and causes collusion between law enforcement, judges, and criminals, the Violence related to organized crime and criminal impunity is at record levels, with little access to judicial processes.
At the same time, the measures adopted to curb corruption and increase transparency lack implementation.
“The government lacks a coherent security strategy and attempts to tackle corruption and organized crime are seen as highly politicized or as efforts to embarrass previous governments.
“The president is centralizing control among national institutions and has proposed new technically illegal policies, such as having marines in charge of port customs activities,” the report released.
The analysis, which will be updated every two years, with the participation of 350 experts, examines the crime situation in 193 UN member countries.
Source: eleconomista.com.mx
