ANERPV Launches New Cargo Crime Intelligence Standard

ANERPV and Mexican authorities developed the EC1800 competency standard to professionalize geospatial intelligence and strengthen cargo crime prevention across logistics operations.

Mexico has introduced a new competency standard aimed at strengthening intelligence capabilities against cargo crime by extending risk prevention beyond highways and border crossings to the entire logistics chain. 

The new EC1800 Competency Standard, published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) through CONOCER, broadens the use of geospatial intelligence to help identify and mitigate risks affecting warehouses, distribution centers and domestic logistics operations as cargo theft continues to challenge supply chains across the country.

The standard, officially titled Generation of Geospatial Intelligence for the Prevention of Asset Risks in Logistics Chains, establishes a framework for training and certifying specialists responsible for analyzing geographic crime patterns, identifying vulnerabilities and developing preventive strategies for companies moving goods throughout Mexico. According to the document, certified professionals will be evaluated on their ability to identify logistics risks, analyze spatial and temporal crime patterns, design mitigation strategies and propose intelligence models to reduce losses.

The initiative was welcomed by the National Association of Vehicle Tracking and Protection Companies (ANERPV), which said the new framework reflects the changing nature of logistics-related crime. While the previous EC1694 standard focused primarily on risks associated with cargo transportation, customs operations, ports and foreign trade, EC1800 expands its scope to cover the broader supply chain, including facilities where companies increasingly face internal theft, fraud, inventory shrinkage and other asset-related losses.

Broader Security Approach for an Evolving Threat

The expanded scope comes as cargo theft in Mexico continues to evolve. Criminal groups have increasingly diversified their tactics, targeting not only trucks moving along major highways but also warehouses, cross-docking facilities and distribution centers. As a result, logistics security increasingly depends on intelligence capable of identifying criminal patterns across multiple stages of the supply chain rather than focusing exclusively on freight in transit.

The competency standard emphasizes geospatial intelligence as a preventive tool capable of analyzing crime hotspots, identifying recurring patterns and supporting risk-based operational decisions. Rather than serving as a law-enforcement instrument, EC1800 establishes professional competencies for personnel responsible for generating intelligence that companies can use to strengthen logistics security and asset protection.

ANERPV also announced that it is collaborating with authorities on the development of a third competency standard that would focus on investigative capabilities related to logistics crime. While that framework has not yet been published, it signals a broader effort to continue professionalizing security functions within Mexico’s logistics sector.

Intelligence Gains Importance as Cargo Theft Persists

The publication of EC1800 coincides with persistent cargo theft challenges affecting Mexico’s principal freight corridors. As previously reported by MBN, cargo theft remains concentrated along strategic industrial and trade routes connecting central Mexico with major consumption centers, border crossings and ports. Criminal organizations have increasingly targeted high-value products including food, consumer goods, electronics, pharmaceuticals and automotive components, forcing companies to strengthen both physical security and intelligence capabilities.

The growing sophistication of criminal operations has prompted logistics providers to invest in technologies such as GPS tracking, telematics, predictive analytics and artificial intelligence to monitor shipments and anticipate potential threats. Industry associations have also called for closer collaboration between private security providers and government authorities to improve intelligence sharing and response capabilities.

Within this context, EC1800 complements these technological investments by creating a standardized certification for professionals responsible for generating the intelligence that supports operational decisions. By establishing common competencies across the industry, the standard seeks to improve the quality and consistency of risk analysis while helping organizations better identify vulnerabilities before incidents occur.