SAN PEDRO GARZA GARCÍA, NL – The modernization of Mexican customs stems from the authority’s own acknowledgment that its processes need improvement. Amidst the strengthening of its oversight powers, the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) is focusing on better data, new technological profiles within its ranks , and greater international information sharing. The remaining question is how these capabilities will translate into more agile and predictable procedures for foreign trade.

During the panel “Moving the world: logistics, infrastructure and resilient supply chains”, held within the framework of the 32nd Mexican Foreign Trade Congress , organized by the Mexican Business Council for Foreign Trade, Investment and Technology (Comce) , Estefanía Capdeville, general director of Customs Attention and International Affairs of ANAM, stated that digitization requires first reviewing the operation.

“Our processes are not working ,” he acknowledged, explaining the need to identify redundant activities and transform procedures before incorporating them into a system.

The accusation places direct responsibility on the institution. If the problem also lies in the design of the processes, demanding higher-quality information from users is insufficient : the authority must specify which procedures it will eliminate, how it will simplify validations, and what improvements will be obtained by those who properly certify their operations. The official’s statement did not detail time reduction targets or indicators to evaluate those results.

Capdeville explained that ANAM’s transformation includes incorporating specialists in digitization, systems, and data science. His own arrival, he recounted, was a response to this shift in profiles , following a career in international cooperation, telecommunications, and digital issues.

“I, Estefanía, am the consequence of the change we are experiencing,” she stated from the beginning of her speech.

The incorporation of technological capabilities can strengthen customs analysis, but it also demands knowledge of the processes it aims to transform. “I had never been inside a customs office before ,” Capdeville confessed.

The challenge is to integrate both experiences so that the design of customs systems responds to the conditions of dispatch and the diversity of foreign trade operations.

According to the official, one of the main obstacles is the quality of the information . Uploading an image or a scanned document to a platform, she explained, is not the same as providing data that the systems can use.

“This is a shared responsibility of both foreign trade users and foreign trade authorities,” he stated.

This shared responsibility requires verifiable conditions from both sides. Companies must provide consistent information; the authority must establish clear specifications , facilitate its transmission, and prevent the same data from being requested repeatedly without operational justification. Digitizing a redundant requirement retains its cost, even if the means of fulfilling it changes.

The discussion also showed that having more information does not automatically solve the problem of how to use it. Addressing ANAM’s priorities, Capdeville identified the declared value of goods and verification of their origin as central elements in combating practices that harm Mexican producers.

“ It’s not about raising revenue , it’s about protecting the national industry,” he argued.

The official linked this priority to the current customs reform and highlighted the interest in expanding information exchange with Asian countries, especially those in Southeast Asia. The goal is to understand the characteristics and history of the cargo before it is dispatched.

This approach can strengthen the early identification of risks. However, its effectiveness will depend on whether the information allows for better selection of operations requiring review and facilitates the verification of those that demonstrate compliance. Accumulating data without streamlining procedures can expand oversight capacity while simultaneously perpetuating administrative hurdles.

The proposal comes after Congress finalized the approval of changes to the Customs Law . The Senate endorsed the reform on October 13, and the decree was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on October 23, with its entry into force scheduled for January 1, 2027.

The modifications strengthen the review of declared value and eliminate the 50% threshold that previously conditioned the grounds for precautionary seizure due to discrepancies in declared customs value between similar goods. The text incorporates provisions to differentiate the application of this ground through subsequent rules, which the authority must publish before the end of this year. Their implementation will be crucial in determining when a discrepancy warrants review and under what conditions the goods can be seized.

With greater powers comes increased importance for consistent criteria and timely mechanisms to resolve discrepancies. Combatting undervaluation requires evidence and analytical capacity; for operators, it also demands knowing how to substantiate their transactions and how to resolve disputes without unnecessarily prolonging uncertainty about the cargo.

Adriana Huerta, executive vice president of the Confederation of Customs Brokers Associations of the Mexican Republic (CAAAREM) , explained during the panel that the sector is working on the materiality of transactions, risk analysis, and the use of technological tools. Part of this effort involves guiding clients on what information they should share and how to back it up.

The task, however, extends beyond the file compiled by the customs agent. Silvia Armendáriz, manager of Livingston International , warned that the information can originate at another link in the chain : “Sometimes our data doesn’t even originate with us, but with our supplier.”

Therefore, he emphasized the need to connect systems to reduce manual data entry and errors . He also pointed out that having efficient platforms in different countries does not guarantee that they can communicate or transmit complete information.

The problem necessitates evaluating modernization as a coordination process. If suppliers, importers, customs brokers, and authorities cannot exchange data consistently, the additional requirements may translate into new data capture and reconciliation tasks.

ANAM acknowledged the need to transform its processes and is seeking tools for more precise oversight. The next step is to make this transformation verifiable . Data quality must translate into better-supported decisions, fewer redundant procedures, and greater certainty in dispatch. Otherwise, digitization risks becoming yet another layer of requirements on top of an operation whose shortcomings the authority itself already recognizes.

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn:  @Enrique Duarte Rionda  /  @GrupoT21

El cargo More data and controls: customs modernization faces its own bureaucracy apareció primero en T21.

The Mexican Association of Railways (AMF) identified ports and border crossings as the main bottlenecks for the development of the railway industry and trade with North America.

“We have a very clear focus on ports and borders, on how to make them more efficient. Much progress has been made in inland terminals, but if we manage to free up the capacity that is currently tied up in the ports, we can continue improving terminal capacity,” stated Francisco Fabila, president of the AMF.

During the conference “Integrated Railway Systems in the Mexican Railway Association” , organized by the College of Civil Engineers of Mexico (CICM) , he noted that the organization has already held meetings with the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) to identify and address the main operational obstacles in ports and border crossings.

The goal, he said, is to standardize customs inspection processes between Mexico and the United States through coordination between customs authorities and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) , with the aim of streamlining rail transit by replicating similar schemes to those already in operation with Canada.

Fabila added that, although incidents of vandalism, blockades and thefts persist , collaboration with the federal government has allowed for strengthening railway security.

“We are experiencing a very good moment in comparative terms with the highway; today there is a pleasant sense of security,” he emphasized.

In that regard, Héctor Lases, coordinator of the CICM’s Transportation Infrastructure Committee, agreed that the modernization of customs is required; in addition, there are challenges in the Waybill and dispatch , as well as blockages, thefts and vandalism, although these have decreased.

“There is also an uneven playing field with the rest of the multimodal transport, excess dimensions, route, training, etc., saturated terminals; we need more and better terminals to encourage the use of rail and not only the last mile is used for the delivery of goods and raw materials that are moved to different consumers and companies,” he specified.

Francisco Fabila stated that in the coming years, the industry will invest with the goal of continuing to increase cargo handling by this mode of transport at border crossings, and developing more cargo at the border that contributes to trade in North America .

In addition to making investments in ports to increase the participation of the railway in these infrastructures, mainly in Manzanillo, as well as developing other terminals.

“Today, with what we have, we have sufficient capacity to meet the challenges, and in recent years many intermodal terminals have opened, yard capacity has increased, and sidings on the main lines are becoming longer; let’s remember that sidings were 800 meters long when the concessions were granted, and now they require them to be more than 3,000 meters long in their expansion to accommodate rail operations. It’s a very coordinated dynamic in terms of maintenance and investment capacity generated by new development; this is something that the railways do every year,” Fabila pointed out.

However, he stated that the evolution of the railway is not about building more tracks , but about how to make the existing ones more efficient.

“Building for the sake of building is difficult. What you have today is what you get. The railway evolved from what we call the milkman’s train, which was ‘I’ll leave a car for you, I’ll leave a car for you, I’ll leave a car for you,’ and it evolved from prioritizing traffic density on long journeys to democratizing it with the intermodal sector,” he said.

Francisco Fabila and other logistics specialists will participate in ETYL MTY , organized by Grupo T21 , which will take place on October 14 and 15 at the Presidente InterContinental Monterrey in Nuevo León . We invite you to learn more about the event and register here .

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn:  @Evangelina del Toro  /  @GrupoT21

El cargo Ports and border crossings, the main challenges for Mexico’s railway industry apareció primero en T21.

The Mexican Association of Railways (AMF) identified ports and border crossings as the main bottlenecks for the development of the railway industry and trade with North America.

“We have a very clear focus on ports and borders, on how to make them more efficient. Much progress has been made in inland terminals, but if we manage to free up the capacity that is currently tied up in the ports, we can continue improving terminal capacity,” stated Francisco Fabila, president of the AMF.

During the conference “Integrated Railway Systems in the Mexican Railway Association” , organized by the College of Civil Engineers of Mexico (CICM) , he noted that the organization has already held meetings with the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) to identify and address the main operational obstacles in ports and border crossings.

The goal, he said, is to standardize customs inspection processes between Mexico and the United States through coordination between customs authorities and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) , with the aim of streamlining rail transit by replicating similar schemes to those already in operation with Canada.

Fabila added that, although incidents of vandalism, blockades and thefts persist , collaboration with the federal government has allowed for strengthening railway security.

“We are experiencing a very good moment in comparative terms with the highway; today there is a pleasant sense of security,” he emphasized.

In that regard, Héctor Lases, coordinator of the CICM’s Transportation Infrastructure Committee, agreed that the modernization of customs is required; in addition, there are challenges in the Waybill and dispatch , as well as blockages, thefts and vandalism, although these have decreased.

“There is also an uneven playing field with the rest of the multimodal transport, excess dimensions, route, training, etc., saturated terminals; we need more and better terminals to encourage the use of rail and not only the last mile is used for the delivery of goods and raw materials that are moved to different consumers and companies,” he specified.

Francisco Fabila stated that in the coming years, the industry will invest with the goal of continuing to increase cargo handling by this mode of transport at border crossings, and developing more cargo at the border that contributes to trade in North America .

In addition to making investments in ports to increase the participation of the railway in these infrastructures, mainly in Manzanillo, as well as developing other terminals.

“Today, with what we have, we have sufficient capacity to meet the challenges, and in recent years many intermodal terminals have opened, yard capacity has increased, and sidings on the main lines are becoming longer; let’s remember that sidings were 800 meters long when the concessions were granted, and now they require them to be more than 3,000 meters long in their expansion to accommodate rail operations. It’s a very coordinated dynamic in terms of maintenance and investment capacity generated by new development; this is something that the railways do every year,” Fabila pointed out.

However, he stated that the evolution of the railway is not about building more tracks , but about how to make the existing ones more efficient.

“Building for the sake of building is difficult. What you have today is what you get. The railway evolved from what we call the milkman’s train, which was ‘I’ll leave a car for you, I’ll leave a car for you, I’ll leave a car for you,’ and it evolved from prioritizing traffic density on long journeys to democratizing it with the intermodal sector,” he said.

Francisco Fabila and other logistics specialists will participate in ETYL MTY , organized by Grupo T21 , which will take place on October 14 and 15 at the Presidente InterContinental Monterrey in Nuevo León . We invite you to learn more about the event and register here .

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn:  @Evangelina del Toro  /  @GrupoT21

El cargo Ports and border crossings, the main challenges for Mexico’s railway industry apareció primero en T21.

The repeal of Annex 4 of the Estimated Prices Resolution changed the treatment applicable to certain imports of textile and clothing products since September 15 , by eliminating the price reference that conditioned the presentation of an automatic import permit.

In response to concerns raised by transactions that were in the process of being finalized, the Ministry of Economy (SE) and the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) clarified the criteria that companies using consolidated customs declarations must apply.

The resolution repealing Annex 4 was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) on September 14 and took effect the following day. The document states that the measure is part of a review of the estimated pricing system, within a context of strengthening risk analysis, oversight, and customs valuation mechanisms.

What was Annex 4?

Annex 4 was part of the resolution of the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) that establishes a mechanism to guarantee the payment of taxes on goods subject to estimated prices.

In practical terms, it established reference values ​​for certain goods in the textile and clothing sectors. When a good was imported below the corresponding estimated price, the mechanism was linked to the obligation to guarantee any differences in duties.

The scheme originated in a resolution published in 1994, which aimed to require importers to provide a guarantee against potential discrepancies in duty payments and contribute to combating undervaluation. In 2014, estimated prices for the textile and apparel sectors were specifically incorporated into Annex 4.

The repeal does not mean that the authority’s power to review the declared value of goods or combat undervaluation practices has been eliminated. The resolution itself indicates that the Customs Law maintains verification powers that allow the authority to safeguard the fiscal interest.

One of the direct effects of the elimination of Annex 4 is on the automatic import permit for textile and clothing products.

The Ministry of Economy explained that the requirement provided for in Annex 2.2.1, numeral 8 BIS, section II, was conditional upon the unit price of the goods being lower than the estimated price established in Annex 4.

With the elimination of that requirement, as of September 15, import operations for textile and apparel products are no longer subject to the presentation of that automatic permit for that specific reason. This does not eliminate other regulations and non-tariff restrictions that apply to each type of merchandise.

To determine the applicable provisions, the SE and ANAM pointed out that the dates provided for in article 56 of the Customs Law must be considered.

Consolidated customs declarations

The change becomes more complex for companies that started operations before September 15 through a consolidated customs declaration.

This mechanism allows for multiple transactions by the same taxpayer to be covered under a single customs declaration , in accordance with the provisions of the Customs Law. In certain transactions, goods may be imported in separate shipments and subsequently consolidated into a single customs declaration for final processing.

The Customs Law establishes that, for those who use this modality, the consolidated customs declaration must be transmitted to record the operations carried out during the corresponding period, in addition to complying with the obligations related to non-tariff regulations and restrictions.

The transition problem arises because a single order may contain shipments made before and after the repeal of Annex 4.

For these cases, the SE and ANAM established that if the first shipment was made before September 15, companies may submit the corresponding weekly or monthly consolidated customs declaration, taking the date of entry of the goods as that of the first shipment.

This means that the obligations applicable to the operation must be determined based on the provisions in force on the date of entry of the first shipment, even if subsequent shipments or the closing of the customs declaration occur after the repeal.

However, the exchange rate must be the one corresponding to the date on which the transaction is closed.

A sector with a significant flow of imports

The change affects a sector with a significant flow of foreign trade. According to the National Chamber of the Textile Industry (Canaintex) , total Mexican exports of textiles and apparel in 2025 amounted to $7.664 billion, compared to $13.271 billion in imports during the same period.

The size of these flows helps to understand why the regulatory transition may have operational implications for importers, customs agents, and companies that use remittance-based clearance schemes.

Furthermore, Annex 4 was not a recent provision. The estimated price mechanism for textiles and clothing had undergone several modifications since its inception, including an update in 2024, before its repeal in September 2026.

The clarification issued by the SE and ANAM seeks to prevent the modification of the estimated price framework from generating uncertainty about operations that had already begun under the previous rules; the aim is to provide certainty and maintain orderly customs management during the transition.

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El cargo Repeal of Annex 4 changes rules for imports in the textile and clothing sectors apareció primero en T21.

The implementation of the Electronic Value Declaration (MVE) in Mexico will have a differentiated schedule depending on the customs regime. The Tax Administration Service (SAT) released a new advance version that extends the transition period until October 31, 2026, and schedules the mandatory transmission for definitive imports starting January 15, 2027.

The adjustment was announced on September 30, through the first advance version of the Third Resolution of Modifications to the General Rules of Foreign Trade (RGCE) for 2026. Its publication occurred on the last day of the period foreseen by the previous resolution, which allowed to continue with the traditional scheme until that date.

Under the new schedule, the transmission of data will begin on November 1 for goods destined for processing, transformation, or repair in a bonded warehouse; on November 15 for strategic bonded warehouses; on December 1 for goods in transit; and on December 15 for bonded warehouses. Temporary imports must comply starting January 1, 2027, followed by permanent imports on the 15th of the same month, for the corresponding operations.

The update was released as an advance version on the SAT website. The document establishes that it will take effect the day after its publication in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) , while the advance provisions will take effect in accordance with rule 1.1.2.

The Electronic Customs Declaration (MVE) allows for the integration of information related to the customs value of goods entering the country and its submission through the Digital Window. The system has been available since August 1, 2025, although the requirement for electronic transmission has been extended to allow foreign trade users time to prepare.

This change means that, in accordance with rule 1.5.1, the E2 “Value Declaration” form, along with the corresponding information and documentation, must be submitted for each transaction. Your e-document must be declared in the import declaration, and the importer must keep the digital file for the period stipulated in the Federal Tax Code.

For customs clearance coordination, the importer may authorize, using their Taxpayer Identification Number (RFC), the individuals, agents, or customs agencies who will consult and download the declaration and its attachments. When the customs agent is not authorized to access the file, they must receive it in digital format, including any modifications.

This process is further enhanced by the documentary facilitations established in the Second Amendment Resolution, published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) on September 22. Until December 31, 2026, it will not be necessary to resubmit the transport, origin, and guarantee documents stipulated in Article 81 of the Customs Law Regulations with the declaration , provided they are submitted in accordance with Article 36-A of the Law.

During that same period, importers may choose to submit the E15 form, “Information on contracts associated with the Declaration of Value,” containing general contract details and under penalty of perjury, instead of sending the complete contracts. This option has its own deadline, separate from the dates established for each customs procedure.

According to the Mexican Tax Administration Service (SAT) and the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) , the electronic filing process prior to customs clearance aims to prevent errors in determining duties and facilitate audits by the authorities. For importers, the transition involves organizing the information that supports the declared value and exchanging it with customs brokers, also taking into account the exceptions provided for in rule 1.5.1.

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn:  @Enrique Duarte Rionda / @GrupoT21

El cargo SAT staggers the MVE; definitive imports will have a deadline until January 2027 apareció primero en T21.

In the January-July 2026 cycle, the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) registered 1,516 units , where 62% of those units represent 2027 models, while the remainder are 2026 models.

In its monthly report, the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (ANFRE) identifies that of the total units registered in the reference cycle, 33% corresponded to large companies , while 32% were registered by small companies.

Manufacturer’s license plate

Regarding imported trailers, ANFRE identified, using data from the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM), that 2,730 units have been brought into the country .

With the aforementioned data, it is identified that the number of imported trailers represents 1.8x (times) the sales of domestic manufacturers.

Although the year-model is not recorded for 77% of the imported units, it can nevertheless be identified that equipment dating back to 1970 has been introduced into the country during the January-July cycle.

Of the units for which the year and model year were recorded, ANFRE identified that of the imported units, 181 trailers are more than 20 years old.

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El cargo Large and small companies promote trailer registration apareció primero en T21.

With the aim of promoting greater efficiency in logistics and foreign trade operations, the Mexican Intermodal Transport Association (AMTI) met with representatives of the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) to discuss various strategic issues, including the cancellation of Annex 29 of the General Rules of Foreign Trade (RGCE) of the Tax Administration Service (SAT) , a measure that would simplify procedures, avoid duplicate processes and expedite the flow of goods in the country.

Yolanda Esquivel, general director of AMTI, specified that they held a meeting with the authorities on August 12 to review several issues.

“One of them is Annex 29, where what we are seeking is the cancellation of this document to streamline the customs process; we have agreed that it will be done digitally, we are continuing along this path with ANAM and they are open to discussing this issue. The same applies to Annex 23,” he explained during their monthly meeting.

AMTI has been working with ANAM since September 2024 on various technical working groups and tests aimed at digitizing Annex 29 .

However, based on the analysis carried out during this process, it was considered important to rethink the objective and consider eliminating Annex 29 instead of continuing to dedicate efforts to its digitization, “since the required information is already largely contained in other documents and foreign trade systems available to the authority, such that other customs offices operate without this document.”

Therefore, the agency seeks to analyze the legal and operational feasibility of eliminating this requirement , removing duplication and administrative burdens without affecting traceability or the control powers of the customs authority.

He indicated that, for the reference of the areas that will follow up, the latest chain of communications on the Annex 29 application was shared, where the background and progress made so far can be found.

Regarding Article 23/Annex 29, the aim is to standardize and eliminate the requirement. At the meeting on August 12, AMTI also noted that a similar problem arises under different names depending on the customs office.

In Veracruz, the requirement is operationally identified as Article 23 , while in other operations it is handled as Annex 29.

Beyond the terminology used at each customs office, whether rail or maritime, AMTI’s approach is to comprehensively review both processes , identify the information that is currently requested in duplicate, and analyze the legal and operational feasibility of eliminating these requirements when the authority already has the corresponding information through other means.

Annex 29 specifies the goods that cannot be temporarily imported for processing, transformation or repair, nor destined for regimes such as bonded warehouse, bonded area or strategic bonded area.

These products include jet fuel; petroleum or bituminous mineral oils; butane and propane, mixed together, liquefied; biodiesel and its mixtures, without petroleum or bituminous mineral oils or with a content of less than 70% by weight of these oils, and others, according to the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) .

Annex 29 is based on the Customs Law and is important for importers, exporters and customs agents, avoiding penalties and ensuring that foreign trade operations are carried out in accordance with the law.

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn:  @Evangelina del Toro  /  @GrupoT21

El cargo AMTI reiterates to ANAM the request to eliminate Annex 29 to expedite the movement of goods apareció primero en T21.

The mandatory Electronic Declaration of Value (MVE) will be postponed once again. The Tax Administration Service (SAT) and the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) announced a further extension to the deadline for importers to comply with the mandatory electronic submission of this document. This decision represents the third extension granted by the authorities to one of the most important digitalization projects in foreign trade.

In a joint statement, both agencies announced that the requirement for the Electronic Mailing (MVE) will be extended until July 31, 2026 , to ensure that foreign trade users have the necessary tools to comply with this provision in a timely manner. This measure was established through the First Advance Version of the Second Resolution of Amendments to the General Rules of Foreign Trade for 2026, published on June 2nd on the SAT website.

The decision comes within the context of the digitalization strategy being promoted by the tax authority in coordination with ANAM, which seeks to migrate various foreign trade procedures to electronic platforms to strengthen information traceability, simplify processes, and improve customs control mechanisms. In the case of the MVE (Single Window for Foreign Trade), the scheme stipulates that information related to the customs value of goods be transmitted electronically through the “new” Single Window for Foreign Trade Procedures (VUTCE) before the goods are cleared.

According to the SAT (Mexican Tax Administration Service) and ANAM (National Association of Customs Agents), one of the main benefits of this mechanism is the mitigation of risks associated with errors in determining foreign trade duties. By submitting the information in advance and electronically, companies can reduce inconsistencies that could eventually lead to fines or penalties during customs audits.

In addition, the verifications carried out by the authorities are more efficient. The information submitted in advance allows for targeted inspections, reducing inspection times and, consequently, the time goods spend in customs. This is especially relevant for logistics operators and importing companies seeking to minimize costs associated with cargo release delays.

The economic component is also part of the arguments presented by the authorities. According to the statement, digitizing this process will reduce operating costs for both users and the agencies responsible for supervising and validating information related to import operations.

The Electronic Filing Mechanism (MVE) has been available for electronic submission since August 1, 2025; however, its mandatory implementation has faced several adjustments to the implementation schedule. With this new decision, the Tax Administration Service (SAT) and the National Association of Mexican Businesses (ANAM) are maintaining a gradual strategy for adopting the system, while continuing to support the business sector and implement technological adaptations to ensure compliance with the obligation.

With the announced expansion, the authorities reiterated their intention to facilitate compliance with foreign trade obligations through more agile, clear and accessible processes, while seeking to consolidate the digital transformation of customs procedures in Mexico.

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El cargo Importers receive new relief in the Electronic Declaration of Value apareció primero en T21.

Mexico’s National Customs Agency (ANAM) stated that actions are already being implemented to expedite the inspection of goods , which will reduce time and increase revenue collection and security.

“We expect a significant reduction in processing time. We also anticipate an increase in revenue of approximately 7%, and all of this will impact the quality of service we offer at customs. Digitalization and enhanced inspections are part of our master plan, and this directly benefits both security and efficiency at customs,” emphasized Héctor Alonso Romero Gutiérrez, head of ANAM.

In an interview following the inauguration of the 8th Congress of the Mexican Association of Freight Forwarders (Amacarga) , he said, without giving further details, that various actions have been carried out in the 20 most important customs offices in the country, where, according to the official, several advances have been made.

Regarding illegal merchandise, he noted that 100% of shipments are inspected using intrusive inspection equipment, but also a portion using data intelligence .

“Our goal is to reduce smuggling as much as possible. We need to target different sectors, but we are working with all the industry associations, where we have held talks to share data and gather intelligence,” he explained.

He explained that these actions are being carried out in sensitive sectors such as textiles, hydrocarbons, and others.

However, he did not specify what work they have carried out in the energy sector. “We have taken several actions that I cannot comment on, but the fight is going very well,” he said.

Regarding illegal merchandise surrounding the 2026 World Cup, Romero Gutiérrez reported that, in collaboration with the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA)  and the brands sponsoring the event, a wide variety of counterfeit items have been detected.

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn:  @Evangelina del Toro  /  @GrupoT21

El cargo ANAM streamlines merchandise inspection and seeks to increase revenue apareció primero en T21.

Customs revenue in Mexico declined in April 2026, totaling 109,879.22 million pesos (mdp) in cash flow , representing a real drop of 20.9% compared to the same month in 2025, according to data from the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) .

In the fourth month of 2026, Value Added Tax (VAT) also showed a negative performance, falling 18.6% compared to April of the previous year to 76,514.4 million pesos, according to the  Customs Revenue and Operations Dashboard . The Special Tax on Production and Services (IEPS) maintained the same downward trend, totaling 14,226.9 million pesos, a year-on-year decrease of 47.1%.

Conversely, operations increased 3.3%  in April of this year compared to the same period in 2025, with 1,849,338 transactions; customs declarations showed a positive variation of 0.2%  compared to the same period last year with 903,404 documents issued.

By customs type, the figures were negative during the fourth month of 2016. Maritime customs saw a year-on-year drop of 26.6%, totaling 56,264.31 million pesos. Inland customs saw their revenue decline by 2.1% year-on-year, reaching 18,835.44 million pesos. Customs on the northern border totaled 34,522.88 million pesos, a decrease of 19.2% during the period.

Meanwhile, the country’s main customs offices reported losses in April 2026. Veracruz fell 31.6% compared to the same period in 2025, collecting 9,279.52 million pesos; Nuevo Laredo contracted 13% with 16,725.16 million pesos; and Manzanillo decreased 3.9% annually , collecting 15,960.46 million pesos.

In the cumulative figures for January-April 2026 , the numbers were also not very favorable compared to the same period in 2025. A total of 433,081.82 million pesos was collected , a real decrease of 11.6 percent. VAT fell 17.9% to 288,450.6 million pesos; and the IEPS (Special Tax on Production and Services) increased 9.7% year-on-year to 71,802.7 million pesos.

Meanwhile, operations in the first four months of 2026 showed an increase of 0.8% over the same period in 2025 with seven million 103 thousand 963 procedures; and customs declarations contracted 1.4% annually, totaling three million 487 thousand 657.

Despite negative customs revenue figures in April 2016, Mexican foreign trade continued to grow. In the fourth month of the year, exports totaled $72.042 billion, representing a 32.6% year-on-year increase and setting a new record, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) .

This increase resulted from the rise in non-oil exports, specifically manufactured goods, followed by extractive and agricultural exports.

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El cargo Mexican customs saw a decrease in revenue during April apareció primero en T21.