Extortion is crippling businesses in Mexico City, forcing many to close. A men's clothing store owner, after years of threats and robberies, finally shut down his family business due to escalating extortion demands. While authorities are creating new initiatives to combat the issue, including a special prosecutor's office and a national strategy, reported extortion cases only represent a small fraction of the actual problem. The surge in extortion is linked to powerful organized crime groups, generating billions of dollars annually and impacting both large and small businesses alike.

Prepared by Christopher Adams and reviewed by editorial team.