Mexico’s flourishing tequila sector is an instance of the nation’s success in creating vibrant export industries. However the trade additionally presents an unlucky reminder of the dangers export firms face from violent crime normally and the hijacking of cargo vans particularly.
Throughout a current go to to the Pacific Coast state of Jalisco, I noticed Mexico’s tequila bonanza firsthand. I ended by a small nonetheless operated by an organization known as Tequila Aretta, in addition to Jose Cuervo’s huge distillery, the epicenter of manufacturing that led to $2.5 billion in revenues in 2024.
I sipped samples of flavorful, smoky, amber-hued tequila reposado and añejo and drove by fields lined with infinite rows of tall, spiky agave azul vegetation. I watched heavy vans rumbling alongside nation roads, transferring items to the state’s main highways, in direction of Mexico’s main ports and as much as the U.S. for export.
Mexico’s tequila exports at the moment are a $3.2 billion-a-year trade. Mexico’s success as exporter is a part of the explanation why truck crossings from Mexico to the U.S. tripled from simply 1.8 million in 1993 to five.9 million in 2024.
However each bottle of tequila shipped out of Jalisco — together with the beautiful Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia Additional Anejo I sampled whereas there — is now going through critical danger earlier than it reaches prospects within the U.S. and different markets. Sadly, Mexico’s export success story is being undermined by persistent issues with roadway safety and from armed hijackers.
In January, police within the state of Veracruz in japanese Mexico recovered a truck that was stolen whereas transporting $128,000 value of tequila. In December 2021, hijackers within the state of Jalisco intercepted a truck carrying 30,000 liters of tequila, assaulted the motive force and stole the truck and cargo. In July 2020, gunmen in Jalisco used a truck to dam the street in entrance of a truck carrying a cargo of tequila and hijack the automobile to steal the cargo. (Police later recovered the truck and merchandise).
These incidents spotlight a broader downside in Mexico of persistent violent crime and arranged crime exercise in most of the nation’s prime nearshoring states.
According to Mexico’s non-public safety trade affiliation, 15,937 cargo truck hijackings occurred in Mexico in 2024, up 9 % from 2023. Inside the insurance coverage trade, Mexico is broadly thought of to be the world’s worst hotspot for cargo truck hijacking.
Reliance Companions (the place I’m govt vp) compiles and analyzes information printed by Mexico’s federal authorities, showing that the majority of those hijackings happen in central Mexico within the industrial zone surrounding Mexico Metropolis, moderately than in border cities akin to Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez.
In 2024, meals and drinks have been the most commonly stolen product in cargo truck hijackings in Mexico, accounting for almost a 3rd of all incidents.
The hijacking situation displays broader considerations affecting overseas firms in Mexico. In 2024, the World Justice Venture ranked Mexico in 118th place in its Rule of Law Index, and listed Mexico among the many world’s worst international locations within the classes of order, safety and absence of corruption.
Whereas murder totals have declined lately, Mexico stays among the many world’s most violent international locations. In 2024, six of the highest 10 most violent cities on earth have been in Mexico.
Shortly after taking workplace in October 2024, President Claudia Sheinbaum met with the nation’s highly effective CCE enterprise chamber to debate plans for bettering freeway safety and higher defending firms transferring merchandise on Mexico’s roadways.
In December, Sheinbaum announced the implementation of a technique known as Operation Balam and directed Mexico’s Nationwide Guard to work immediately with private-sector firms to assist escort vans in high-risk zones. Extra broadly, Sheinbaum has promised to dismantle Mexico’s organized crime teams by specializing in bettering police intelligence and investigative capability.
Sheinbaum remains to be simply over six months into her first 12 months in workplace. She has accomplished an admirable job in working to barter with the Trump administration, making an attempt to guard Mexican exporters from punitive tariffs. I do know from conversations I’ve had with executives in Mexico that a number of of Jalisco’s prime tequila producers have bought complete insurance coverage insurance policies to guard their merchandise as it’s moved over the U.S. border.
However many small and mid-size distilleries (in addition to a variety of different export-focused manufacturing firms) nonetheless face appreciable danger from loss to theft or hijacking.
Mexico’s tequila trade is successful story that must be protected. President Sheinbaum nonetheless must do extra to enhance roadway safety and protect Mexico’s thriving tequila enterprise from freeway robbers.
Mark Vickers is govt vp and head of worldwide logistics at Reliance Partners.