Federal Government Reports Progress in Fight Against Organized Crime

Mexico City — The Mexican federal government’s security strategy is showing substantial results, with homicides dropping 42% since September 2024 and authorities seizing hundreds of tons of drugs and thousands of weapons.

President Claudia Sheinbaum presented consolidated figures through January 2026, revealing that homicides decreased by two additional percentage points between December and January. This brings the cumulative reduction to 42% compared to September 2024, representing 36 fewer murders daily.

Sheinbaum attributed the decline to strengthened National Guard forces, constitutional changes that enhanced military intelligence and National Intelligence Center operations, and unprecedented coordination between federal forces, prosecutors, and state governments.

The statistics support this assessment. From October 1, 2024, to January 31, 2026, authorities arrested 43,438 people for high-impact crimes, seized 327 tons of drugs including 1,800 kilograms and over four million fentanyl pills, and confiscated 22,800 firearms.

Additionally, security forces dismantled more than 2,000 methamphetamine laboratories and seized 51 tons of cocaine at sea. The Security Cabinet stated these actions have directly weakened organized crime’s financial and operational structures, preventing millions of doses from reaching the streets.

January alone saw significant operations: in Chiapas, authorities captured Hugo Alexis “N,” known as El Espíritu, a cell leader of the Chiapas Cartel; in Coahuila, six members of the Northeast Cartel were arrested, including Ever José “N,” called El Águila, linked to the LeBarón family massacre; in the State of Mexico, 11 people connected to 16 homicides were detained; in Hidalgo, a fugitive with an FBI red notice was captured; and in Querétaro, 30 arrests included a leader of Los Salazar.

In combating extortion, authorities received 142,505 calls to the 089 hotline from July 6, 2025, to February 1, 2026, with 89% representing extortion attempts thwarted in real time. These reports led to 814 arrests across 24 states.

Interior Secretary Rosa Icela Rodríguez highlighted progress in addressing root causes: over five million services provided, 300,000 households visited, 373 public spaces recovered, and 9,128 weapons voluntarily surrendered. Through 298 peace tables, more than one million people, primarily youth, participate in community actions.