Mexico Unvails Fuel Tracking System to Curb Illegal Fuel Imports

President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that the Mexican government was utilizing a new digital platform to track fuel imports from shipment to gas stations, looking to curtail the recent uptick in illegal fuel imports known locally as “huachicol fiscal.” 

During her morning press conference on Tuesday, Sheinbaum mentioned that the government was pursuing a two pronged solution to fight huachicol fiscal, criminal investigations led by the Attorney General’s Office and preventive coordination between agencies including the Ministry of Energy, PEMEX, the Tax Administration Service (SAT), the Ministry of Defense, and others.

The president highlighted that this new digital platform was part of the government’s efforts to keep track of all the fuel that is imported and distributed within the country to improve the traceability of both legal and illegal fuel imports.

“Now we have a platform that allows us to know, from the importer, which service station it reaches,” said Sheinbaum. “Based on that, SAT and the Ministry of Energy are reviewing all the permits and how many marketers there are.”

Sheinbaum also announced that the government has been working on a report on the reduction of fuel theft. According to the president, the recent 15% increase in PEMEX’s fuel sales directly correlates to a 15% decrease in illegal fuel sales, showcasing the work that the current administration has done to stop these illegal activities. 

Fuel theft through huachicol fiscal, often involving fraudulent import schemes, has become a major fiscal drain. According to data from Petro Intelligence, illegal fuel sales cost the country MX$485 million per day in unpaid taxes, closing 2024 with more than MX$177 billion in losses.