Mexico’s flourishing tequila sector is an example of the country’s success in developing vibrant export industries. But the industry also offers an unfortunate reminder of the risks export companies face from violent crime in general and the hijacking of cargo trucks in particular.

During a recent visit to the Pacific Coast state of Jalisco, I saw Mexico’s tequila bonanza firsthand. I stopped by a small still operated by a company called Tequila Aretta, as well as Jose Cuervo’s massive distillery, the epicenter of production that led to $2.5 billion in revenues in 2024.

I sipped samples of flavorful, smoky, amber-hued tequila reposado and añejo and drove through fields lined with endless rows of tall, spiky agave azul plants. I watched heavy trucks rumbling along country roads, moving goods to the state’s major highways, towards Mexico’s major ports and up to the U.S. for export.

Mexico’s tequila exports are now a $3.2 billion-a-year industry. Mexico’s success as exporter is part of the reason why truck crossings from Mexico to the U.S. tripled from just 1.8 million in 1993 to 5.9 million in 2024.

But every bottle of tequila shipped out of Jalisco — including the exquisite Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia Extra Anejo I sampled while there — is now facing serious risk before it reaches customers in the U.S. and other markets. Unfortunately, Mexico’s export success story is being undermined by persistent problems with roadway security and from armed hijackers.

In January, police in the state........

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