Monitoring security forces to tip off criminals is now a crime in Durango. This practice, popularly known as *halconeo* (acting as a lookout or “hawk”), carries criminal penalties ranging from 3 to 20 years in prison.
Under the Durango State Penal Code—following amendments made late last year—it’s now possible to punish these specific lookout activities, which involve shadowing security forces and relaying information to organized crime.
This punishment is enshrined in Article 228 of the Durango State Penal Code, a measure that took effect via a decree published on December 25, 2025. The law penalizes anyone who monitors security institutions or obtains information from them, provided the intent is to alert others to plan or commit a crime.
For private citizens caught acting as lookouts, the penalty ranges from 3 to 7 years in prison, along with fines between 2,932.75 and 11,731 pesos. However, the penalty increases significantly if the perpetrators are police officers, prosecutors, or judges, or if minors or public resources are used to monitor security force activities.
Public servants face the harshest penalties; Article 228 mandates 10 to 20 years in prison for police officers who act as lookouts for organized crime, with fines ranging from 84,463 to 168,926 pesos. Durango isn’t an isolated case; the crime of *halconeo* is already recognized in 21 states, including Coahuila, Nuevo León, Jalisco, and Zacatecas.
Source: Tiempo y Espacio
Discover more from Cartel Insider
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.