The transformation of Mexican customs is moving forward with the strategy of increasing revenue collection, strengthening legality and facilitating foreign trade , as stated by Admiral Fernando Alfonso Angli Rodríguez, Director General of Customs Operations of the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) , when presenting the results, challenges and vision shared by the different areas of the agency.He explained that key actions are already underway, such as joint clearance operations at 14 border customs offices , with more than 11 million accumulated transactions, random inspections to strengthen operational control , and a policy to combat improper practices head-on.
These include the end of the importation of footwear by the piece (effective from January 2025), restrictions on undervalued goods such as sugar , and new rules for the entry of vessels and the return of handicrafts , highlighted Angli Rodríguez in the panel Customs in action: Results, challenges and shared vision , held within the framework of the 85th National Congress of Customs Agents of the Confederation of Associations of Customs Agents of the Mexican Republic (CAAAREM) .
For Irlanda Pacheco, Director General of Evaluation at ANAM, a culture of integrity is the cornerstone that guides the agency’s internal actions. As part of this policy, her department coordinates the reliability examinationsadministered to personnel, which include medical, toxicological, polygraph, and socioeconomic studies.
To date, this process has resulted in 180 dismissals nationwide for failure to comply with these parameters. Oversight has also been improved: managers are no longer given advance notice before conducting visits, which has made it possible to detect transactions with undervalued merchandise and correct shortcomings through improvement programs covering legal, operational, financial, and human resources.
At the same time, physical and technological modernization is progressing steadily, according to Herman Leonardo Deutsch, Director General of Customs Modernization, Equipment, and Infrastructure at ANAM, who highlighted that in the last two years, nearly 20 billion pesos have been invested in the country’s 50 customs offices, primarily at border crossings.
He also highlighted the renovation of the canine unit : a new 2.6-hectarecomplex was built near Querétaro, with a veterinary hospital, vehicle simulators, and training areas. ANAM now breeds 70 dogs a year and plans to redistribute them according to operational needs in Mexico.
At the event, ANAM’s general directors presented the institutional progress and challenges facing the country’s customs system .
Miguel Cos Nesbitt, president of CAAAREM (until July 31, 2025), welcomed ANAM ‘s willingness to open dialogue, adjust processes, and collaborate with the private sector.
The panel provided a space to outline concrete measures, such as increased surveillance, infrastructure renovation, regulatory adjustments, and a stronger stance to strengthen the rule of law.
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