Our ‘Value in Action’ series shares case studies that demonstrate the real value of our partners’ digital solutions in aviation. Here we find out how Osprey reports on corruption and security challenges at Mexican airports.
The sad truth is that both crime and corruption remain a serious issue in Mexican culture.
It’s also true to say that aviation facilities have always presented a range of lucrative opportunities for organised criminality – so it is no surprise that international airports such as Mexico City’s Licenciado Benito Juarez International (MMMX/MEX), and Cancun International (MMUN/CUN) have always been regarded as especially vulnerable.
Although airport-based corruption has always been common knowledge in Mexico, the subject has drawn significant media attention since the 2018 election of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) – who campaigned on a commitment to tackle such corruption head on.
Using Osprey:Explore, Osprey Flight Solutions collected copious amounts of data and has issued a number of alerts, in relation to significant issues impacting airports in Mexico. Many have been related to incidents where airport workers had been accused of facilitating and/or participating in a variety of crimes including:
- Luggage theft
- The extortion, bribery and illegal detention of arriving foreign passengers
- Human trafficking
- The shipping of illicit goods or substances via air cargo
- The sharing of passengers’ personal information to criminal groups to facilitate ‘express kidnappings’
What is Osprey:Explore?
Osprey:Explore is a software platform that allows users to visualise the largest database of aviation safety and security-related incidents (as well as conflict zone and conventional military activity) in the industry, to help identify, understand and work towards mitigating future risks.
Furthermore Osprey:Explore provides live data-analytics through a customisable dashboard and map-based interface that give the user the ability to query, engage and curate invaluable trends and insights.
Airport Crime, Corruption and Aviation Security
Graph 1: Osprey:Explore chart showing crime, aviation security and corruption ‘pings’ at Mexico City and Cancun international airports between 1 February 2019 and 31 January 2022
As demonstrated by Graph 1 (which illustrates crime, corruption and aviation security levels over the majority of the President AMLO’s administration) there was a noticeable rise in criminal activity at Mexico City and Cancun international airports between August 2021 and January 2022.
Mexico City‘s airport – the country’s busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic, closely followed by Cancun – clearly had the highest number of crimes and aviation security-related incidents.
Notably Osprey recorded far fewer security and crime-related incidents (‘pings’) throughout 2020 – largely due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, which greatly affected the volume of air travel. However, as shown the number of pings increased significantly from August 2021 onwards, criminal activity almost returning to pre-pandemic levels as global travel restrictions continued to be eased.
Crime
Graph 2: Osprey:Explore pie chart showing total ‘pings’ by type between 1 February 2019 and 9 February 2022 at Mexico City and Cancun international airports
As shown in Graph 2, crime-related pings make up the largest portion of the recorded activity – this includes illegal goods and substances seizures by airport customs, and thefts inside or near the terminals. In January and February 2022, Osprey also issued alerts highlighting ‘follow-home robberies’ and ‘express kidnappings’ by criminal groups targeting ‘high-value’ passengers arriving at Mexico City.
Aviation Security and Social Unrest
Aviation security and social unrest incidents account for significant portions of activity at the two airports (Graph 2). These include immigration issues, such as the detection of passengers found in possession of counterfeit or illegally obtained travel documents. Airports in Mexico have also been targeted for political protest – in 2021 alone there were a total of seven politically motivated disruptions at Mexico City’s airport.
Corruption
Corruption remains a significant concern at Mexican airports. In January 2022, Osprey issued two alerts relating to complaints made against personnel at Mexico City. These included baggage handlers accused of stealing personal effects from passengers’ luggage, and immigration personnel accused of migrant smuggling or illegally detaining passengers and then demanding bribes for their release.
Outlook
Using this data Osprey predicts that aviation security and crime-related incidents are likely to continue to be reported at airports across Mexico, over the coming months, particularly as flight operations increase in line with the further easing of travel restrictions. Despite the President having previously refused to militarise Mexico in order to tackle corruption as his predecessors had done (and for which they were rightly criticised as the level of security failed to improve), the Government took the decision to place both the Army and Navy in charge of the nation’s customs controls, ports and, more recently, airports to tackle corruption and counter illicit goods smuggling, and all forms of trafficking.
On 19 January 2022 the Government announced that the Navy would take control of security at seven international airports in Mexico, including at the recently opened Santa Lucia Felipe Angeles International Airport (MMSM/NLU), which now serves the federal capital.
More recently Luis Pimentel Miranda, the Yucatan director of the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT), commented that the Navy would now operate at all airports nationwide, with the President confirming that the move was primarily designed to curb extortion and organised crime at airport facilities, and to expedite immigration processing of passengers.
The way in which AMLO continues to tackle corruption in the near future could have a great impact on the aviation industry, Osprey’s Head of Analysis, Mark Brace comments, “monitoring these situations carefully and consistently ensures that Osprey clients are getting the most valid and up-to-date information on all aspects that could affect their operations, including crime, aircrew safety concerns, corruption and delays due to external factors. These issues are also very relevant to governments and regulators who fly to and from Mexico as these such issues could disrupt their ability to ensure all direct flights are secure”.
Author: Osprey
Published: 19th April 2022
Feature image: by carlos aranda on Unsplash
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