National Strategy against Extortion advances with forceful technological measures
Within the framework of the National Strategy against Extortion, the Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, has announced a high-impact technological objective: by the first quarter of 2026, the mobile phone signal will be completely blocked in the 14 federal detention centers and in the 13 prisons in the City of Mexico. This decision constitutes a direct response to the use of communication devices by inmates to coordinate and execute crimes such as extortion, violating the security of the population from within.
“To prevent this crime from being committed from inside the prisons and protect citizens, joint actions of signal blocking, technological review and supervision operations have been implemented,” said the official during a press conference. The statement underlines the strategy’s comprehensive approach, which combines human intervention, police intelligence and advanced technological countermeasures.
Operational results and the crucial role of the complaint number 089
Since the launch of this government initiative on July 6, a significant volume of reports has been registered. Through the telephone reporting line 089, more than 102,800 calls linked to possible cases of extortion have been received. A detailed analysis of these reports reveals crucial data for the strategy: approximately 77,428 communications (75% of the total) corresponded to extortion attempts that were thwarted in real time thanks to the guidance provided by specialized operators.
In addition, 14,575 citizen reports were registered regarding telephone numbers used by extortionists, and 10,854 formal complaints (equivalent to 11%) for completed crimes. The latter were channeled to the corresponding prosecutor’s offices, which allowed the integration of 3,684 investigation folders in various federal entities. At the same time, in the period between July and November, 615 individuals were arrested for the crime of extortion in coordinated operations in 22 states.
The focus on penitentiary centers: diagnosis and technological solution
The diagnosis presented by García Harfuch is revealing: 12 specific penitentiary centers concentrate 56% of the total telephone lines reported for extortion through 089. This geographical concentration of the problem justifies the targeting of resources and countermeasures. To neutralize this threat, the authorities not only depend on police operations, but also on a cutting-edge technological deployment that includes the installation of frequency jammers, state-of-the-art closed circuit television systems, motion sensors, body security scanners and perimeter surveillance equipment.
The progress is already tangible. According to the report, “33% of the detected lines have been blocked” through actions implemented in prisons in states such as Tamaulipas and Mexico City itself. An emblematic case is the total blocking of 3G and 4G mobile data services at the Santa Marta Acatitla Social Reintegration Center. The goal now is to systematically scale this success until reaching full coverage in federal and capital prisons within the announced deadline.
The Secretary of Security also highlighted that the security cabinet will maintain permanent monitoring and presence in states with high crime incidence such as Sinaloa and Michoacán, carrying out a continuous deployment of federal forces and evaluating weekly the strategies implemented in coordination with local productive sectors.
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