Baja California’s Attorney General’s Office (FGE) announced it has dismantled 40 criminal bands and arrested 80 individuals identified as direct generators of violence, all tied to extortion operations across the state. The crackdown began in June 2025 as part of a coordinated federal and state strategy targeting extortion in its various forms.
The FGE described the results as “conclusive outcomes” of the joint effort, which spanned multiple municipalities. Extortion remains one of the most common crimes affecting daily economic life in Baja California, with restaurants, street vendors, and small businesses frequently targeted for protection payments.
New Extortion Combat Unit Takes Shape
As part of the crackdown, the FGE appointed former prosecutor Miguel Ángel Gaxiola Rodríguez to lead a newly emphasized Extortion Combat Unit. The appointment represents a structural change within the attorney general’s office, creating a dedicated team focused exclusively on extortion cases.
The move follows reporting from earlier this year that the FGE had been recruiting specialized investigators for anti-extortion teams stationed in Mexicali, Tijuana, and Ensenada. Fidel Corvera Gutiérrez, the FGE’s prosecutor for Specialized Units, has previously described extortion as a crime built on psychological leverage, noting that criminals rely on intimidation to extract payments from victims who often never report the crime.
Extortion Down, but Fraud Rising Statewide
The crackdown comes as extortion reports across Baja California dropped roughly 30% compared to 2020, according to data from the State Department of Citizen Security (SSCBC). That decline has not been uniform. Ensenada saw a 26% increase in extortion cases, and San Felipe’s figures doubled, though total case numbers there remain low.
At the same time, fraud cases in the state surged 32% over the past five years. From January to November 2025, officials recorded 2,190 fraud cases statewide, up from 1,469 during the same period in 2020. Mexicali alone saw a 92% jump in reported fraud.
The FGE has said it is also conducting prevention efforts, including workshops at schools and businesses to educate the public on extortion and fraud tactics. The attorney general’s office remains the primary channel for reporting extortion, and officials have urged residents and business owners to come forward rather than pay.
The national context adds weight to the state effort. In July 2025, Mexico’s federal government carried out “Operation Liberación,” which it called the largest anti-extortion operation in the country’s history, deploying nearly 3,000 security personnel to execute 52 raids across central Mexico.
The FGE’s latest figures were first reported by Jornada BC.