Security Sector in Mexico

The security sector in Mexico embraces a wide range of activities relating to the local, state and federal government’s delivery of crime prevention and investigation, protection of people, property and assets, and law enforcement in general.

Market Overview.

Since taking office in December 2006, President Calderon has made security one of his top priorities. The Calderon administration ratified a law on public security, aimed at boosting coordination between federal, state and public security institutions to reduce corruption and impunity.

President Calderon’s Federal Security Programmes concentrate on civilian security, law enforcement and serious and organised crime. This Administration is continuously restructuring and replacing current systems by renovating specialised teams and equipment.

The four main Federal Security Agencies have received a budget in 2012 of £5,942 million pounds. The budgets per Government Agency are: Mexican Army (Sedena): £2,527 million pounds; Federal Public Security Ministry (SSP): £1,842 million pounds; Mexican Navy (Semar) £894 million pounds and the Federal Attorney General’s Office (PGR): £677 million pounds.

Key Opportunities

Opportunities for UK security companies in Mexico are growing. Key areas are detailed below:

  • IT infrastructure

  • Automatic number plate recognition systems

  • Undercover surveillance equipment

  • Explosive detection equipment

  • Sophisticated CCTV cameras

  • X-ray systems

  • Data management software

  • Mobile phone jammers

  • Specialised training (special forces)

  • Vests

  • Interception systems

  • Defence technologies and products

  • Anti-kidnapping technologies/services

  • Anti-riot technologies-products

  • UAV’s

In July 2012, Enrique Peña Nieto was elected President. The new Administration will take charge the 1st of December 2012. Although changes will occur, Government Institutions will keep making acquisitions during 2012, according to their assigned budget.

FEDERAL CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGY

The Mexican Federal Public Security Ministry defined crime prevention strategies against organised crime. These strategies are being implemented through a number of programmes which include structural changes to some security departments and Federal Forces, in order to optimise the performance, coordination and results of all the Mexican Security Agencies. Some of the most relevant guidelines are: crime prevention and citizen’s participation, enhancement of prison system, war against corruption and use of most relevant technologies.

PLATAFORMA MEXICO PROJECT

Its objective is to coordinate and integrate crime information to public security institutions at the federal, state, and municipality level, through the development of several systems:

1) To integrate a centre of criminal intelligence (SUIC);

2) To centralise the Administration of Prisons (SUAP);

3) To integrate a centralised system for policing operations (SIOP);

4) To create the National Report Centre (Centro Nacional de Denuncia, CND) to be consolidated into a single technology platform.

THE NEW FEDERAL POLICE MODEL

This project involves the development of a professional policing service, modernisation and refurbishment of high security prisons including re-settlement of ex-convicts into the community, operation and use of state of the art technologies and products, (especially for intelligence gathering), strengthening of partnerships with State and Municipal police forces, and the wider promotion and enforcement of a crime prevention culture.

Latest export opportunities – Security sector

Latest export opportunities – Mexico

Getting into the market

Opportunities in the security and defence sector in Mexico range from sophisticated technologies to specialised training services.

In our experience, the most successful approach for UK companies to access the Mexican market is to identify and partner with relevant local distributors or agents, whom will be able to deliver market intelligence and best way to conduct business with Mexican end users in the public and private sectors.

Mexican companies and decision makers usually enjoy having initial introductory meetings with UK sector companies in order to assess whether the latter will have potential business opportunities or not.

The UKTI Security Team in Mexico has been working with a network of agents/distributors for more than 6 years and is well positioned to introduce these agents to UK companies or to identify new possible agents in the market.

Contacts

  • Fernando Estandía, British Embassy Mexico City. Tel: (+52 55) 1670-3207 or email: [email protected]

Gisela Gonzalez Flores, British Embassy Mexico City. Tel: (+52 55) 1670-3206 or email: [email protected]

UKTI Events

UKTI runs a range of events for exporters, including seminars in the UK, trade missions to overseas markets and support for attendance at overseas trade shows

Latest events – Security sector

Major Events

ADS Tabletop exhibition in Mexico seminar

January 2013

Security and Defence Mission to Mexico

February 2013

DSO Latin America Inward Mission UK

February 2013

Security & Policing Show, Farnborough, UK

March 2013

Useful inks

More about OMIS and other UKTI services for exporters

Sectors: Defence & Security
Countries: Mexico
Export Action Plan