Mexico Deploys AI Chatbot to Strengthen Efforts Against Illicit Cigarette Trade

By Goodrich, Riquelme y Asociados

The Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) has begun implementing an artificial-intelligence-driven chatbot designed to support efforts to identify and prevent the circulation of illicit cigarettes in the country. The tool, known as IMPIBot, uses image analysis and automated brand-verification features to assist authorities and the public in reporting and detecting products that may violate industrial property regulations.

Developed in cooperation with the Observatorio Nacional Ciudadano (ONC), the chatbot operates through WhatsApp and is intended to provide rapid access to trademark information, verify packaging authenticity, and receive alerts related to possible cases of counterfeiting. IMPI officials have indicated that the system will be integrated into broader enforcement actions that involve customs authorities and other federal entities responsible for monitoring imports.

According to the agency, IMPIBot will also streamline communication channels for companies and individuals who need to confirm whether products circulating in the market correspond to legally registered brands. The tool is part of a recent agreement between IMPI and the ONC aimed at improving the detection of illicit goods, strengthening legal certainty, and expanding technological resources available for industrial-property enforcement.

The chatbot’s deployment follows a series of coordinated operations in ports and distribution centers, where authorities have reported the seizure of large quantities of illegal tobacco products. IMPI has stated that the new system is expected to facilitate faster identification of suspicious merchandise and support ongoing efforts to trace the entry of counterfeit or undeclared cigarettes through maritime routes.

Ilicit cigarettes represent between 20 and 28 percent of national consumption. Estimates place annual fiscal losses associated with this market at more than 13 billion pesos (approximately USD 760 million), with some analyses suggesting higher totals when unreported production and contraband routes are included. Authorities have also reported seizures of tobacco products valued at more than 800 million pesos (approximately USD 47 million), in operations conducted over the past year.