Overview
- Official figures show 67 extortion complaints in the first seven months of the year, with 24 in Tijuana for a 36% share, followed by Mexicali.
- The state Attorney General’s Office reports similar threat patterns in Ensenada, Mexicali, and Tecate, with cases carried out by phone and in person targeting local merchants and entrepreneurs.
- Authorities say 24 suspects have been detained this year and eight extortion groups have been dismantled, while withholding case details to protect ongoing investigations.
- Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda urges prosecutors to open cases from any allegation, including posts on social media, after recent coordination with federal and business sectors in Ensenada.
- Underreporting persists due to fear and distrust, and officials stress 9-1-1 reporting and Fiscalía protocols that offer protection, patrols, and support, with a July Tijuana case citing WhatsApp threats followed by arson.