Mexico seizes nearly 3 million illicit cigarettes at Mexico City airport

On 2 August 2026, Mexican authorities – the National Customs Agency (ANAM), the Navy (Marina) and the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) – seized 4,031 kg of contraband cigarettes at the Mexico City International Airport (AICM). The haul, equivalent to about 2.88 million cigarettes, was detected through intelligence‑driven risk analysis, document review, X‑ray scanning and physical inspection of shipments originating from China and South Korea.

The operation is part of a broader customs enforcement effort that has secured more than 156 tonnes of illicit tobacco in 2025‑2026. Officials said the seizure protects the formal economy, intellectual‑property rights and public health, and the cargo remains under customs custody pending legal proceedings.