Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) loses approximately 30 million pesos (US$1.47 million) monthly due to electricity theft, according to recent reports.
In 2024, the utility company detected 1.12 million instances of “diablitos”—illegal connections to the electricity grid—and uncovered at least another million cases of meter tampering aimed at defrauding the government-run utility.
While Mexico’s Federal Penal Code establishes prison sentences of three to ten years for installing “diablitos,” actual incarceration for this offense is rare, particularly for private individuals. Instead, those caught typically face fines up to 100,000 pesos and/or suspension of their electricity service.
The CFE reports that while most electricity theft occurs in economically disadvantaged areas, the practice isn’t limited to these regions. Among businesses, the most common offenders are laundromats, parking lots, restaurants, and small grocery stores.
These illegal connections often involve makeshift wiring or unauthorized hookups to public utility lines, creating serious safety hazards. Experts warn that such improvised setups can lead to electrocution, fires, and damage to household appliances due to power supply fluctuations.
According to a recent report in Sol de México, some “professional diablito installers” openly advertise their services on Facebook, promising to reduce electricity bills by up to 70 percent.
The term “diablitos,” Spanish for “little devils,” likely refers to the sneaky or underhanded nature of these illegal connections.