Two major cocaine seizures in Mexico this month, including a rare haul in the central state of Tlaxcala, may indicate cartels are moving larger quantities of drugs closer to Mexico City to meet increased demand during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, analysts say.
Mexican security forces said they seized more than three metric tonnes of cocaine on 22 June in separate operations in Guerrero and Tlaxcala, an inland state not typically associated with major trafficking routes.
Security experts told Reuters the scale and location of the Tlaxcala seizure suggest the drugs may have been stockpiled to meet demand linked to the World Cup, which is being co-hosted by Mexico.
Andrés Sumano of El Colegio de la Frontera Norte said criminal groups often increase their inventories ahead of major international events.
“The increase in demand expected for the World Cup in Mexico City may have led criminal groups to increase their supply in warehouses near Mexico City,” Sumano said.
Three drug dealers in Mexico City also told Reuters they had seen higher demand during the tournament, with Mexico expecting around 5.5 million visitors.
One dealer described the World Cup as “a good opportunity” to boost sales.
Mexican authorities have not officially linked the seizures to the tournament.
Tlaxcala government spokesperson Antonio Martínez said the seizure did not prove the state had become a trafficking hub or that it was connected to international events.
Still, researcher Vicente Sánchez said the unusual size of the seizure in Tlaxcala made a World Cup-related surge in demand a plausible explanation.
The World Cup, being held across Mexico, the U.S. and Canada, has drawn millions of fans to North America, boosting businesses across multiple sectors. Analysts warn that illicit markets may also have benefited.
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