Matamoros: a Symptom of Mexico's Larger Illness
20 Mar 2023
Want to know what illegal drugs are coming into the United States and where they are crossing the border? InSight Crime has compiled years of seizure data from US and Mexican authorities to explain drug flows.
US-Mexico Data Dashboard
Want to know what illegal drugs are coming into the United States and where they are crossing the border? InSight Crime has compiled years of seizure data from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to explain drug flows.
Want to know what illegal drugs are coming into the United States and where they are crossing the border? InSight Crime has compiled years of seizure data from US and Mexican authorities to explain drug flows.
US-Mexico Border Seizures
In recent years, much attention has been focused on stopping drug smuggling across the US-Mexico border, which spans 2,000 miles and is divided into nine different sectors by CBP. These interactive maps reveal the different patterns of drug flows over time across these sectors, as well as Mexico’s six northern border states, giving a more granular look at where the movement of specific drugs is concentrated.
US- CBP Drug Seizures by Sector Along Southwest Border (Fiscal Year)
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
Mexico - Yearly Drug Seizures in Mexico's Northern Border States
2021
2020
2019
2018
2021
2020
2019
2018
Related Analysis
Criminal economies thrive along the US-Mexico border, as organized crime groups regularly ferry drugs, weapons and people across it. Find our wide-ranging coverage of this critical region, including on the evolution of synthetic drug trafficking, the dynamics of some of the hemisphere’s most powerful cartels and the links between political power and criminal structures.
Nationwide Seizures
Nationwide drug seizures in both the United States and Mexico have experienced notable changes in recent years, from the fall of plant-based drugs like marijuana and heroin to the rise of powerful synthetic drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine.
US - Drug Seizures Nationwide
Each month, CBP provides monthly figures on its drug seizures nationwide, and this data is useful for uncovering smuggling trends. For example, fentanyl seizures tripled between May and June of 2020, jumping from 100 kilograms to more than 300. Since then, seizures have remained above 300 kilograms every month, reaching as high as 550 in October of last year. See monthly seizure totals for each drug by clicking on the boxes.
This chart shows the CBP’s yearly total of drug hauls nationwide, which is useful for deducing demand. For example, the total amount of marijuana seized has plunged over the past four years. Heroin, too, dropped by nearly half. But fentanyl has steadily climbed, and methamphetamine is on an upward trajectory. See seizure totals for each drug by using the boxes.
Mexico - Drug Seizures Nationwide
Drug trafficking in Mexico has undergone significant shifts in recent years, and monthly seizure data helps illuminate some of these trends. Marijuana seizures, for example, have been cut in half in the last few years, while seizures of synthetic drugs like methamphetamine and fentanyl have increased substantially. See monthly seizure totals for each drug by clicking on the boxes.
This chart shows the total amount of drugs seized by Mexico’s National Guard, SEDENA and SEMAR nationwide. While seizures of marijuana and heroin have dropped sharply, authorities continue to seize large volumes of cocaine and synthetic drugs. See seizure totals for each drug by using the boxes.
Homicides
Despite their geographic proximity, violence dynamics on both sides of the US-Mexico border differ greatly, responding to unique local conditions ranging from the presence and power of organized crime groups, to political systems, economic factors, and social structures. Below, InSight Crime has collected data on the total number of homicide victims and homicide rates in Mexico’s northern border states, as well as the United States’ southwest border states, since 2015.
US - Homicides
As the two largest US states along the southwest border with Mexico, California and Texas have recorded the highest number of homicide victims in recent years. Overall, however, homicide rates in these border states are well below what international observers consider to be endemic levels of violence. Explore this data further below.
Mexico - Homicides
In recent years, Mexico has been one of Latin America’s most homicidal nations. Along the country’s northern border with the United States, the states of Baja California, Chihuahua, and Sonora have some of the highest homicides rates in the entire country. Investigate all of the data below.
Graphics
As part of its investigative work covering the US-Mexico border, InSight Crime’s design team has created several maps and graphics to help illustrate everything from the presence of organized crime groups, to drug trafficking routes, and the inner workings of various criminal economies. Explore each of these graphic representations below.
Previous
Next