Extortion has become one of Mexico's most pervasive and fastest-growing crimes, affecting all sectors of society from wealthy entrepreneurs to street vendors. Between 2016 and 2025, reported cases nearly doubled, with Mexico ranking among the world's top five countries for extortion and racketeering, alongside Libya, Colombia, Honduras and Somalia, according to the Global Organized Crime Index.
In the first four months of 2026, official figures recorded nearly 3,600 cases nationwide, but the true number is likely far higher as only 0.2% of extortion cases are reported due to fear of reprisals. The crime costs Mexico nearly $900m annually, equivalent to 0.04% of its GDP.
Victims describe terrifying ordeals. One man, who asked not to be named, recounted being kidnapped by corrupt police officers who planted drugs on him, drained his bank accounts of about $870, and threatened to kill him and his family if he reported the incident. Such 'express kidnappings' are common, with gangs detaining people for hours until families pay ransoms.
In the town of Huautla, Morelos state, Bishop Ramón Castro denounced extortionists demanding residents pay $10 per family member each month—two-thirds of the daily minimum wage. In nearby Cuautla, known as Mexico's extortion capital, street vendors are forced to pay sometimes two different gangs simultaneously. 'Imagine a woman who sells tamales having to pay organised crime,' Castro said. 'This is unheard of and heartbreaking.'
Businesses are often forced to close when owners cannot keep paying, and speaking out can be deadly. In October, a lime growers' leader in Michoacán was killed after denouncing extortion. Two weeks later, Uruapán mayor Carlos Manzo was shot dead on the Day of the Dead after calling out extortion by criminal gangs and local officials.
President Claudia Sheinbaum has vowed to tackle the scourge, pushing a constitutional amendment to make extortion a federal crime, allowing prosecutors to investigate without victims filing complaints. Since launching a 'national strategy against extortion' last July, authorities have arrested more than 1,300 people. Sheinbaum also launched Operation Swarm to combat corruption among local officials, leading to further arrests.
