Over 18 months, we cross-referenced six public databases—DEA, OFAC, FGR, INEGI, FinCEN, and a federal case file from the Eastern District of Virginia—to build the first comprehensive map of who governs under criminal control in Mexico, how much they move, where they launder money, and why many of them are already on the radar of the U.S. government.
What we found when we opened the data.
Eight findings, ranked by severity and by the type of evidence supporting them. Each card expands to reveal the data source, the legal framework, and the actions that follow.
One out of every two municipalities in Mexico operates with some degree of documented criminal penetration.
Of the 2,457 municipalities analyzed, 234 show direct evidence of coordination, subordination, or protection of organized crime structures. The rest display circumstantial indicators that vary by region.
Who will lose their visa—and more?