Mexico legislators propose new laws against stolen goods and fuel smuggling

Mexican legislators are introducing new measures to combat illicit trade and smuggling. Deputy Ivonne Aracelly Ortega Pacheco has proposed a law requiring pawn shops to verify the legal ownership of items before accepting them as collateral. This initiative aims to close a loophole in the Federal Consumer Protection Law that currently allows stolen goods, such as mobile phones, to enter the formal market easily. Under the proposal, shops would need to collect invoices or purchase receipts, and customers without documentation would have to sign a sworn statement, making them liable for civil and criminal penalties if the item is stolen.

Separately, Federal Deputy Alfonso Ramírez Cuéllar is preparing a legislative package to target 'fiscal huachicol' or fuel smuggling. The proposal seeks to strengthen customs and address the entire supply chain, including those who purchase and distribute illegal fuel. Ramírez Cuéllar emphasized that the strategy should target high-volume consumers such as gas stations, mining companies, and transport lines. The plan includes using technological tools, chemical marking systems, and enhanced traceability to identify the origin and movement of fuels, alongside anti-corruption efforts to dismantle complicit networks.