Translated by Chris Brown
Extortion is one of the high impact crimes that has risen most within recent years, along with homicide and kidnapping, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi). It is the second most frequently reported crime in the country, only behind robbery or assault on the street or on public transport, according to the poll on perception of safety presented this month by Inegi.
Juan Francisco Torres Landa, Secretary-General of Mexico United against Crime, told CNNMéxico that extortionists are looking for the most vulnerable individuals or groups.
Mexico City and the state of Mexico are the two entities with the greatest number of reported cases of extortion for the year 2012 and so far in 2013, according to data from the National System on Public Security.
“A tourist, outside of their country and oblivious to our local customs, is a pretty weak and vulnerable prospect for victimization, so they may fall victim”, he said.In 2012, the state of Mexico filed 1,039 complaints of extortion, and that figure stands at 936 complaints filed for the first seven months of this year. In the case of Mexico City, 1,181 complaints of extortion were amassed in 2012, and 679 cases were filed in the first seven months of this year.
Number of complaints increase, but are still few
In 2012, 5,994,034 cases of extortion, in it’s various forms, were reported, “whether or not they were reported to the public prosecutor”, according to the survey by Inegi. Formal complaints were filed in 302,259 cases. In 2011, 4,380,496 cases of extortion were reported, and complaints were filed in 298,103 cases.
Attempted extortion is the
“most common offense in the Mexican republic… because you can do it from the comfort of your own home. Simply dial a phone number and you’ve done it”,
said Luis Wertman, president of the Council of Public Security of Mexico City.
So far in 2013, the Council has logged more than 200,000 calls from people of different states in the country -not just Mexico City- who are asking for help when someone tries to extort them.
Extortion from prison
Torres Landa indicated that much of the telephone extortion comes from penitentiary centers in states in northern Mexico; nevertheless, they also happen in prisons in states where extortion is frequently encountered.
The president of the Council on Public Security of Mexico City said that, “at a technical level”, they still haven't succeeding 100% in preventing calls made from Mexico City prisons, one of the places extortions are committed from. The hope is that the calls will successfully be blocked completely from those detention centers in a period of six months, he said.
The terror of extortion
The caller gave him his credit card information, bank statements, and had previously called his house, where they gave him their cell phone number, pretending that it was for a business matter. With all the information he received, Óscar decided to make the deposit they were asking for. Within two hours, they called him again and asked for 5,000 more pesos [$390US], but that time he hung up on them.
Óscar feels helpless, as he knows that whoever called him has information on his family and knows where he lives.
Torres Landa explained that when the offender provides information that lets the victim know they are being identified and watched, it is easier to agree to the payment they ask for.
So far in 2013, the Council has logged more than 200,000 calls from people of different states in the country -not just Mexico City- who are asking for help when someone tries to extort them.
“We have a significant increase in calls this year, but we attribute it to a greater awareness of the 5533-5533 number and word of mouth through the Citizen Line."In the 99% of cases in which a person calls the Council to report a case of extortion, and that person receives the help of an operator, the crime is successfully thwarted, they indicated. In 2013, the Council has filed complaints for 172,191 cases of attempted telephone extortion; 102 cases of attempted in-person extortion, and 764 cases of attempted extortion through the internet.
Extortion from prison
Torres Landa indicated that much of the telephone extortion comes from penitentiary centers in states in northern Mexico; nevertheless, they also happen in prisons in states where extortion is frequently encountered.
“It is unacceptable that it is still possible to make cell phone calls from detention centers”, said Torres Landa.Luis Wertman said that the main part of the country where extortion calls are coming from is unclear because most cell phones are purchased in Mexico City, but many of those devices are moved to other states.
The president of the Council on Public Security of Mexico City said that, “at a technical level”, they still haven't succeeding 100% in preventing calls made from Mexico City prisons, one of the places extortions are committed from. The hope is that the calls will successfully be blocked completely from those detention centers in a period of six months, he said.
The terror of extortion
-”I am the head of La Familia [drug cartel], I know where your wife Lucía and your children, Fernando and Mariana, are. If you don’t want anything to happen to them, you will wire me 20,000 pesos [$1,500US]”.That was the anonymous call received by Óscar last September, a small businessman who has offices in Mexico City, but lives in the suburban city of Nezahualcóyotl, in the state of Mexico.
The caller gave him his credit card information, bank statements, and had previously called his house, where they gave him their cell phone number, pretending that it was for a business matter. With all the information he received, Óscar decided to make the deposit they were asking for. Within two hours, they called him again and asked for 5,000 more pesos [$390US], but that time he hung up on them.
Óscar feels helpless, as he knows that whoever called him has information on his family and knows where he lives.
Torres Landa explained that when the offender provides information that lets the victim know they are being identified and watched, it is easier to agree to the payment they ask for.
“There are ways to know where we live and where we work. It’s not very hard to obtain this information, and with a couple of calls, it’s very easy to obtain it”, he said.Spanish original