1

Mexico’s Fight against Organized Crime

Alejandro PoiréChief of Advisors Ministry of Interior April 23, 2009

2

Index

BackgroundMexico’s Strategy against organized crimeStrategy componentsThe Strategy in numbersCooperation with the USFuture Perspectives

3

Background

• The security situation in Mexico is the result of several factors accumulated for decades.

• The evolution of this problem reflects not only the consequences of the past social, political and institutional indifference, but also the development of the business model among drug cartels.

• Traditionally, Mexico was a producer and transit country of marijuana (cannabis) for the US market.

4

• During the last 20 years, drug cartels began to obtain important revenues from cocaine, and later from the production of synthetic drugs.

• Changes in the US demand, as well as higher security in the US border, and the switch to payments in kind from payments in cash caused:

1. A drastic change in the business model of organized crime, that went from discrete activities focused on drug transit to the US, to a frontal struggle for territorial control in Mexico.

2. The diversification of criminal activities (kidnapping, human trafficking, money laundering, illegal weapon transit, extortion, etc)..

Background

5

Areas of cartel influence and dispute

Tijuana Cartel

Sinaloa Cartel, Beltrán Leyva

Juárez Cartel

Gulf Cartel, Los Zetas

La Familia Los Zetas

6

Mexico’s Strategy against organized crime

• The Government of Mexico, therefore, designed a comprehensive and coordinated strategy against organized crime, adding up efforts at a local, regional, national and international level.

• The core of such strategy is to reduce violence, to regain control of and strengthen law enforcement agencies.

7

Mexico’s Strategy against organized crime

• In the short term the aim is to support local authorities and help them recover their strength.

• In the medium term the actions are intended for cleaning and strengthening law enforcement agencies.

• In the long term the Government of Mexico is working on redesigning the security and justice institutional structures.

8

Strategy components1. Increasing the presence of public authorities

along the national territory, especially in places where organized crime threatens proper functioning of local governance

2. Take down operational, logistic, financial and commercial networks of criminal groups.

3. Strengthening and cleansing of police forces.4. Designing crime prevention policies based on

increased social participation.5. Promotion of international cooperation based on

shared responsibility, mutual trust and respect to sovereignty.

9

The Strategy in Numbers

• In just one operation Mexico seized the largest amount of cocaine in history, over 23 tons.

• In just one operation Mexico seized the largest amount of firearms and munitions in history, half million munitions and 288 high caliber weapons, like AK-47 and AR-15.

• In just one operation Mexico seized the largest amount of cash in history, more than 200 million dollars.

10

The Strategy in Numbers

DRUGS, WEAPONS AND MONEY SEIZED

CATEGORY TOTAL CATEGORY TOTAL

Cocaine (tons) 77.8 Arrested (thousands) 64.4

Marijuana (tons) 4,333 Vehicles (thousands) 16.8

Marijuana Seeds (tons) 23.5 Weapons (thousands) 36.3

Opium (tons) 0.6 Ammunition (thousands) 4.8

Methamphetamines (tons) 31.3Mexican Pesos (Millions) 167.5

Psychotropic (million units) 43.3

Ephedrine (tons) 26.9Dollars (Millions) 330.4

Pseudo ephedrine (tons) 16.2

Source: PGR. Data from the 1st of December 2006, to April 2, 2009.

11

International Cooperation• The Mérida Initiative shows that the

disarticulation of drug, money, weapons, and human trafficking networks is a priority for both Mexico and the US.

• Through this joint effort:• Mexico is going to strengthen its operational

capacities.• The US will intensify their fight against drug

traffic and drug use.• Both countries will increase the cooperation,

coordination and sharing of information in the fight against organized crime.

12

Future Perspectives• The Mexican Government has committed, as never

before, to fight international organized crime. However, the main challenge is the reconstruction of security and law enforcement institutions.

• Only with strong, professional, transparent, and modern institutions governments can face, together, the threats of international organized crime.

• 75-Commitment Plan for institutional rebuilding (Acuerdo Nacional por la Seguridad, la Justicia y la Legalidad) • Cooperation among the Federal Government, the states and

municipalities; Judicial and Legislative Powers; and civil society.

• Clear indicators of achievements for performance monitoring.

13

Human Rights in Mexico

• In February 2009, Mexico presented the Universal Periodic Review of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

• Mexico accepted 83 out of 96 recommendations.• The Ministers of Public Security, National Defense, and

the Attorney's General Office have special human rights programs.

• The contribution of the military in the governments fight against organized crime is temporary, “subsidiary”, and acknowledged by the Supreme Court.

14

Future Perspectives• The Mexican Government has presented to

the Congress several bills in order to strengthen the police forces and law enforcement agencies:1. Modernization and profesionalization of federal, state, and

municipal police forces through the Program for a New Police Model.

2. The creation of a National Public Security System that includes prevention, investigation and persecution elements, as well as the improvement of intergovernmental coordination.

3. Constitutional reforms to the criminal justice procedure system that provides the police force the faculty of investigating under the command of the public persecutors.

15

Achievements of the Federal Government

• Substantially increased support for security forces and the justice sector.

• Constitutional reform to introduce oral trials and alternative resolutions methods.

• Major scrutiny of public officials (Operación Limpieza) to fight corruption at all government levels.

• Plataforma México as a nationwide investigative and prosecutorial real-time interconnectivity data system.