Portacelis Gas and Oil tax fraud investigation

Mexico’s Tax Administration Service (SAT) has requested criminal action against Portacelis Gas and Oil following investigations into a suspected ‘tax fuel smuggling’ scheme. The company is accused of using false information in 139 import declarations for fuel transported via rail between February and June 2025.

Detailed findings indicate that the company subdeclared massive quantities of diesel imports through the Nuevo Laredo and Matamoros customs. While Portacelis officially reported importing 6.6 million liters, the actual volume is estimated to be approximately 90 million liters. This discrepancy, involving over 83 million liters of diesel, allegedly resulted in a loss of 834 million pesos in duties and taxes to the public treasury.

Investigations have linked the company to businessman Jorge Amílcar Olán and identified several implicated parties, including former administrator Juan Carlos de la Cruz Murillo, current administrator José Alonso Ulin Hernández, and customs agent Víctor José Carretero Zardeneta. Reports also note that Portacelis lacked the necessary storage infrastructure for the reported volumes and sourced diesel from Texan providers, including MG Energy, which is also under investigation for connections to fuel smuggling networks.