The Global Advisor Kidnap & extortive crime | July 2025
Americas
Mexico registered a slight slowdown in the number of cases during the second quarter of 2025, compared to the previous quarter; nonetheless, this quarter’s total is still 7.5% higher than the same period in 2024. Most states registered increases amid the growing presence of major organised criminal groups (OCGs), but Jalisco, San Luis Potosi and Tamaulipas witnessed particularly elevated numbers of kidnaps. Kidnapping-for-ransom remains the most common type of incident, accounting for 66% of cases, followed by virtual kidnaps, corresponding to approximately 24% of cases. The increasing involvement of a wider range of criminals in virtual kidnapping suggests that such incidents are likely to continue to rise over the rest of the year, particularly in large cities and popular tourist destinations. Despite having one of the lowest threat environments in the Americas over the last decade, Argentina recorded a 175% increase in cases during the first half of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. This does not place the country near the regional hotspots; nonetheless, it underscores the growing number of criminals engaged in financially motivated abductions. This pattern poses a credible threat to business owners, who accounted for 40% of all victims during this quarter. The Buenos Aires and Cordoba provinces accounted for 78% of the incidents, though sporadic kidnappings also occurred throughout the country. The number of confirmed incidents in Ecuador in the second quarter of 2025 increased by 10% compared to the previous quarter, although it decreased by 21% compared to the same period in 2024. This trend underscores the systemic deterioration of the security environment in the country, but particularly in the coastal and Andean
regions where Control Risks records the majority of kidnaps. Guayas remains the national hotspot, followed by the provinces of Los Ríos and Pichincha, although Santa Elena and Santo Domingo also experienced slight upticks. Over 23 criminal groups rely on ransom payments to fund their operations, which will continue to act as a major driver of the crime over the coming months. These groups have enhanced their operational capabilities, and incidents involving deception tactics and high-powered weapons are becoming increasingly common. Peruvian authorities continue to struggle with the proliferation of multiple criminal groups, as the number of reported incidents in the second quarter of 2025 remained consistent with the same period in 2024. The department of Lima remains the national hotspot, accounting for 40% of all incidents over the past quarter. It has experienced a sharp rise in gangs, despite repeated efforts by authorities to improve security through multiple States of Emergency. Criminal groups such as Los Gallegos del Tren de Aragua, Los Mexicanos, and Los Injertos del Cono Norte
are upgrading their capabilities and increasingly operating across middle- and high-income areas, deliberately targeting wealthier individuals and their dependants. Recent cases revealed that these groups can hold victims captive for extended periods and inflict severe physical harm to ensure compliance. 43 % of abductions happened in transit/outdoors 91 % of abductions resolved in less than 8 days 18 sectors affected
Key developments April to June 2025
The 7.5% increase in the number of recorded incidents in Mexico during the second quarter of 2025, compared to the same period last year, underscores the nationwide prevalence of criminal groups engaged in kidnapping. Criminals operating in Argentina are increasingly engaging in kidnapping as the number of cases more than doubled in the second quarter of 2025, compared to the same period last year. Ecuador registered a slight increase in cases during the second quarter of 2025, reversing the declining trend observed over the previous two quarters and reinstating the entrenchment of criminal groups. The number of kidnapping incidents in Peru during the second quarter of 2025 remains aligned with the same
period last year, as the government struggles to tackle the proliferation of organised crime.
05
Copyright © Control Risks – Please refer to the disclaimer at the end of this document.
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker