Introduction
Mexico continues to rank among the countries with the highest crime rates globally, scoring 7.68 out of 10 on the Global Organized Crime Index (GOC Index) 2025, developed by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. This score reflects increased prevalence and severity compared to 7.57 in 2023 and 7.56 in 2021.
Key Findings
Combat Against Money Laundering
Mexico’s anti-money laundering efforts received a score of 4.50 for 2024, up from 4.00 in 2023. However, its economic regulatory capacity remained unchanged at 5.00 points, the same level as two years prior.
Synthetic Drugs Trade
Mexico solidified its position as a significant market for illicit synthetic drugs, maintaining a score of 9.00 points—the highest level observed since 2021.
Criminal Markets
Mexico achieved a total score of 8.27 in criminal markets, an increase of 5.27 points from 2023. The most prevalent activities included extortion, arms trafficking, and narcotráfico, each scoring 9 points. Other high-level activities included the trade of counterfeit goods, synthetic drugs, and financial crimes.
Increasing Crime Rates
Notable increases in crime rates include arms trafficking (+0.50), crimes against flora and non-renewable resources (+0.50), and financial crimes (+0.50). The only decrease was observed in cocaine trade, which dropped slightly by 0.50 points, possibly due to shifts in trafficking routes or actors rather than a genuine reduction in impact.
Criminal Actors
Mexico’s criminal actors received a score of 7.10, up slightly from 7.00. Mafia-type organizations remain the most powerful (9.00), followed by criminal networks (8.50) and state-embedded actors (7.50), indicating persistent infiltration of crime into institutional structures.
There has also been an increase in the participation of foreign actors and private sector entities, both rising by 0.50 points, reflecting greater internationalization and sophistication of illicit operations.
State Resilience
Mexico’s state resilience improved slightly, rising to 4.50 from 4.21 in 2023. Areas of significant progress included transparency and accountability (+1.00), political leadership (+0.50), and international cooperation (+0.50). Capabilities in prevention and the role of non-state actors also improved by one point each.
However, structural weaknesses persist in territorial integrity (3.00) and the judicial system (4.00), restricting the effectiveness of public policies.
Global Context
Mexico vs. the World:
- With a crime score of 7.68, Mexico ranks third globally in criminality, below Myanmar (8.08) and Colombia (7.82).
- In criminal markets, Mexico leads globally with a score of 8.27, surpassing Myanmar (7.67), Colombia (7.43), and Iran (7.37).
- Regarding criminal actors, Mexico ranks 24th with a score of 7.10, the same as Afghanistan.
- In state resilience, Mexico ranks 111 out of 193 countries assessed, scoring 4.50—far behind leading nations like Finland and Liechtenstein, both at 8.42.
Global Trends
Crime at a Crossroads:
The report, “Crime at a Crossroads,” highlights an uptick in financial crimes and a sustained growth in the synthetic drugs market.
“Synthetic drugs exert significant or severe influence in approximately 40% of the world’s countries, with worsening conditions in 77 states since 2023,” the report states.
