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Mexico Reports 98 Million Liters of Illicit Fuel Seized in First Year, Nearly 2,000 Taps Shut

Officials say coordinated investigations are moving cases toward prosecution as Pemex pairs enforcement with refinery upgrades and limited private participation to bolster energy security.

Overview

  • The Security Cabinet tallied seizures across 26 states and identified and closed 1,938 clandestine duct taps that posed safety risks to nearby communities.
  • A Tampico operation captured 10 million liters of diesel and triggered 15 arrests in Mexico City, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas and Veracruz, including businessmen and public servants.
  • Authorities confiscated logistics used for theft and transport: 3,080 containers, 1,656 tractor-trailers, 1,433 drums and 129 rail tanks, plus specialized extraction equipment.
  • Pemex chief Víctor Rodríguez Padilla said the company disabled about 2,000 taps and recovered fuel valued near 2 billion pesos, aided by a new Salvaguardia Estratégica unit and daily coordination with federal and state forces.
  • Beyond enforcement, Pemex outlined refinery maintenance and capacity projects and mixed public-private contracts, including a $500 million Deer Park overhaul and a Dos Bocas ramp-up, to stabilize supply and cut costs.