In Mexico, organized crime has developed increasingly complex structures to attack cargo transportation , such as false checkpoints, fuel theft, and ambushes on critical routes , forcing logistics companies to rethink their protection strategies.
For José Luis Alvarado Martínez, commercial managing partner of Grupo Galeam , the key lies not in brute force or isolated technology, but in the design of clear protocols, predictive schemes, and coordination among all actors in the chain.
“The most important thing is the protocol. You can have the best systems, but if operators, custodians, and clients don’t know what to do in a risky situation, the criminal is completely taken by surprise. Prevention depends on preparation,” he noted in an interview.
Grupo Galeam works with risk analysis that allows them to detect weaknesses before the client is even aware of them. From there, they build plans that combine physical, logistical, electronic, and personal security.
The Global Security Operations Center (GSOC) functions as an operational brain, integrating satellite tracking, real-time monitoring, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms to anticipate roadside incidents. The rationale is to avoid direct confrontation with organized crime, prioritizing anticipation and deterrence.
Alvarado described the market as “highly dynamic ,” meaning security needs change depending on the client’s operations: if a company expands its distribution routes, the priority may be logistics; if it welcomes more expatriates, executive protection becomes the priority.
“What we do is adapt. Security isn’t linear: it changes from one day to the next, and that’s the challenge,” he explained.
Although the company incorporates AI and automated tools to detect risks or perform repetitive tasks, the executive emphasized that technology does not replace the human factor .
“A sensor can warn you if an operator is falling asleep, but the key remains the ability to make quick decisions under a shared protocol,” he stressed.
Alvarado’s testimony reflects a dilemma that runs through the entire logistics industry: how to protect goods, people, and operations without slowing down the flow of commerce .
Crime is evolving rapidly, and businesses must respond with innovation, intelligence, and coordination to stay ahead.
With 14 years of experience and approximately two thousand employees , Grupo Galeam plans to grow to five thousand people in the next five years.
However, Alvarado said his goal is not to become one of the largest companies in terms of volume, but rather a sustainable and profitable organization capable of sustaining long-term operations in a high-pressure environment.
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