US fuel exports to Mexico by land halted by higher scrutiny, sources say
By Shariq Khan
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Mexican government has halted U.S. fuel imports sent into the country by road, as it cracks down on illegal deals, three sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.
Trucks carrying gasoline and diesel to Mexico from the U.S. Gulf Coast refining hub are not being permitted to cross the Texas border as the Mexican government investigates import permits and steps up cargo inspections, one of the sources involved in such deliveries said.
There was no timeline to resume the trucking trade, the sources said, adding that railway and waterborne deliveries of fuel to Mexico from the U.S. have not been impacted.
The sources requested anonymity as the matter is not public. The Mexican government and state-owned energy company Pemex did not respond to requests for comment.
Even though Mexico is a large crude oil producer, it imports much of its fuel requirements from the U.S. as Pemex struggles to efficiently refine the heavy sour Maya crude oil grade it pumps.
Mexico is the top buyer of U.S. fuel. U.S. oil and fuel exports to the country averaged around 35.66 million barrels per day in January, according to the latest available U.S. Energy Information Administration data.
The trading route has proven lucrative for fuel smugglers, pushing Mexico to establish a decree to combat illicit fuel trade in 2023. In recent months, Mexican authorities have seized a vessel and several fuel trucks for what they said were illegal cargos.
Mexican Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch said on March 31 that federal authorities had seized a tanker in Tamaulipas that was carrying 10 million liters of diesel along with 192 containers and 29 vehicles to transport motor fuels as well as other vehicles.
On March 28, he said federal authorities had seized about 8 million liters of hydrocarbon products, containers and vehicles used to transport motor fuels and pumps in Baja California.
U.S. President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration and drug trafficking has also increased scrutiny at the U.S.-Mexico border. Nearly 110,000 acres of federal land along the border were transferred to the U.S. Army to help prevent illegal immigration, the U.S. Interior Department said on Tuesday.
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