Underground Warfare: Battling Mexico's Fuel Theft Trade

Mexican authorities made a significant discovery this week, unearthing a tunnel used to steal fuel from a state-owned pipeline. This finding provides insight into the prolonged struggle against a black-market industry heavily controlled by organized crime.

The 72-foot-long tunnel, found outside a home in rural Hidalgo state, leads to two taps on an underground pipeline. According to a statement by the Hidalgo state attorney, security forces also seized drugs at the site, although no arrests have been made thus far. An analysis of the site's location suggests it is linked to a conduit owned by state energy company Pemex.

Despite Pemex's report of over 11,000 illegal taps in 2024 and efforts to tackle the issue, results have been limited. The theft, locally known as huachicol, has expanded into a fierce, cartel-driven multibillion-dollar operation. Such activity often involves sophisticated tunneling to avoid detection, although it remains perilous due to the high flammability of the fuels involved.