On June 19, the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE) experienced the theft of 6,177 blank passport booklets destined for consular offices in Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Tlaxcala, and Veracruz. These booklets were ready to be filled with data from new passport applicants. The incident occurred during an armed attack on the Mexico-Veracruz highway.
Criminal groups could potentially use these stolen booklets by filling them with information from individuals who do not meet the requirements for international identification.
In response, the Mexican Foreign Ministry requested support from institutions in each affected state to prevent the distribution of these stolen passport booklets.
An internal communication from the General Directorate of Consular Services at the SRE alerted personnel to be vigilant in case any of the stolen passport serial numbers appear, so they can be retained, and authorities notified.
Initially, the message indicated that 6,311 passport booklets were stolen, but it was later clarified that 134 of them had missing serial numbers and were never dispatched.
How did the armed attack occur during the passport theft?
The Mexican Foreign Ministry confirmed that the attack took place on the Mexico-Veracruz highway. A group of armed men intercepted the vehicle transporting the passport documentation destined for SRE offices in Yucatán, Tabasco, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, and Quintana Roo.
To prevent misuse of these documents, the SRE canceled the serial numbers of the stolen passports and notified national and international authorities.
The SRE also reported the theft to Interpol to raise awareness, as criminal groups might exploit these stolen passports.
A formal complaint was filed with the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) and the National Institute of Migration (INM).
The report was also shared with all Mexican embassies and consulates abroad, as well as public notaries, financial systems, and immigration institutions in other countries.
This incident is not the first passport theft case in Mexico. Similar thefts occurred in 2021, targeting passport booklets destined for offices in the United States and China. In response, the FGR initiated an investigation, recognizing the potential use of these materials for creating counterfeit passports.
The theft of passport booklets poses a significant challenge to Mexico’s identification system security, as these official documents, if in the wrong hands, could facilitate criminal activities such as human trafficking, fraud, and other international crimes.
In light of this new issue, the SRE has called for collaboration from all its consular offices to report any suspicious use of the stolen serial numbers and mitigate associated risks. The international community, including embassies and consulates, has been alerted to remain vigilant.
