Borderlands is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: Violent cargo theft grips Mexican truckers, report finds; Filter King opens manufacturing and distribution facility in Dallas; and HENN Americas opens $4M automotive components plant in Silao, Mexico.
Cargo theft in Mexico remained deeply violent in 2025, with 82% of robberies against transporters involving some form of violence, according to Overhaul’sMexico: 2025 Annual Cargo Theft Report.
The figure means at least eight out of every 10 cargo thefts included violent behavior — ranging from armed interceptions of trucks in transit to assaults on drivers — underscoring the persistent physical danger facing commercial truck operators.
“Cargo theft continues to be one of the main problems affecting logistics chains in the country,” the report states, citing data from Mexico’s National Public Security System (SNSP).
The states of Mexico and Puebla again led the nation in most cargo crimes in 2025, the same as the previous year.
Austin, Texas-based Overhaul, is a SaaS platform for real-time supply chain visibility and risk management.
Theft spreads west as geographic patterns shift
While Mexico’s central region remains the country’s primary hotspot, Overhaul said theft activity expanded geographically in 2025.
Nationwide, 82% of cargo theft incidents were concentrated in the Center (51%) and West (31%) regions, with the West region increasing its share by 7% compared with 2024 levels.
The West’s growth contrasts with a 9% decline in the Center region’s share year over year, suggesting criminal activity is dispersing beyond traditional high-risk corridors.
Within the top 10 states, 38% of all national cargo theft incidents occurred in the State of Mexico (21%) and Puebla (17%).
Guanajuato and Veracruz each posted a 2% increase over 2024, while San Luis Potosí and Michoacán rose 1% each.
West region spotlight: highway corridors at risk
In its regional spotlight, Overhaul identified four major highways in Mexico’s West region that accounted for 38% of the area’s theft activity:
Querétaro–León (MEX-45D) – 16%
Querétaro–San Luis Potosí (MEX-57D) – 10%
Guadalajara–Lagos de Moreno (MEX-80D) – 6%
Atlacomulco–Zapotlanejo (MEX-15D) – 6%
In October, two cargo units were intercepted by uniformed men with tactical training along the Querétaro–León corridor before authorities recovered the trucks through coordinated response and remote engine cutoffs, Overhaul reported.
In 2025, Overhaul said 64.1% of cargo thefts involved interception of trucks in transit on Mexico’s roadways. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)
Intercepting trucks still the primary tactic
In 2025, criminals most often targeted trucks in motion.
Overhaul said 64.1% of thefts involved interception of cargo units in transit, though that was down 12% compared to 2024.
Meanwhile, thefts of parked trucks rose sharply. Theft of parked units accounted for 33.1% of incidents, marking an 11.9% increase year over year
Many of those robberies occurred at roadside diners known as “cachimbas” or at clandestine fuel stops called “huachicoleras.”
Facility thefts (1.4%), destination thefts (1.2%) and origin thefts (0.2%) remained relatively rare by comparison.
Night and weekday risk remain elevated
Cargo theft in Mexico continues to cluster during the workweek.
Overhaul found that 83% of incidents occurred Monday through Friday, with 69% taking place between Tuesday and Friday.
The single highest-risk time window remained the night shift (6 p.m. to midnight), accounting for 33% of total thefts, despite a slight decline versus 2024.
Two daily peak windows stood out:
5 a.m. to 10 a.m. (28% of incidents)
6 p.m. to 11 p.m. (31% of incidents)
By product type, Food & Drinks remained the most targeted cargo category at 31% of incidents.
However, several industrial sectors recorded meaningful year-over-year growth:
Auto parts increased 3%, with tires, components, pickups and SUVs heavily targeted.
Fuel theft rose 3%, largely gasoline and diesel.
Electronics climbed 2%, including televisions, cell phones and gaming consoles.
The expansion of theft in auto and fuel categories is particularly significant for cross-border supply chains, where Mexico plays a critical role in automotive manufacturing and energy distribution.
Filter King LLC has opened a 44,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility in Dallas, expanding its U.S. production network and aiming to reach 85% of the country with next-day shipping.
The new plan increases the company’s production capacity and enables 24-hour shipping across Texas and neighboring states. Company officials said the facility could create up to 100 jobs over the next three years.
The Dallas operation marks Filter King’s third manufacturing and distribution facility opened within 13 months, joining locations in Miami, Las Vegas and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The rapid expansion strategy is designed to place production closer to major population centers and reduce delivery lead times.
Filter King, founded in Miami, manufactures UL-certified pleated HVAC and furnace filters in standard and custom sizes for residential, commercial and industrial applications. Products are distributed nationwide through direct-to-consumer and commercial channels.
HENN Connector Group has opened a new $4 million manufacturing facility in Silao, Guanajuato, expanding its North American footprint and strengthening Mexico’s automotive supply chain.
The Austrian company inaugurated the 51,667-square-foot plant through its subsidiary, HENN Americas, at Hybrid Park Silao, opposite the FIPASI Industrial Park. The facility is expected to generate up to 100 direct jobs.
The Silao facility is part of HENN’s strategy to move production closer to customers in North America and Latin America, reducing logistics lead times and improving regional response capabilities.
The plant will produce coupling and connector systems used in automotive applications, fluid transfer systems and custom engineering solutions.
Austria-based HENN Connector Group develops coupling and connector systems for air, fluids and gases, serving industries including automotive, aerospace and water infrastructure.
Silao is part of Guanajuato’s industrial corridor, home to major automotive assembly plants and Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers supporting U.S.–Mexico trade under the USMCA framework.
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