{"license":"CC BY 4.0 — attribution: IsMyTripSafe.com","source":"https://ismytripsafe.com/mexico/sinaloa","updatedAt":"2026-08-25T06:24:48.079Z","place":{"city":"Sinaloa","country":"Mexico","countryCode":"MX","lat":15.89261,"lon":-92.12896},"safety":{"score":48,"level":"MODERATE","answer":"Mostly — take normal precautions","saferThanPctOfCountries":38,"confidence":0.92,"caps":[],"databaseScore":49,"travellerSentiment":{"score":43,"label":"Mostly negative","summary":"Travelers report feeling unsafe outside resort zones, citing frequent military checkpoints, extortion by police, and fear of cartel violence, especially in Culiacán and along inland highways.","weightInScore":0.18,"components":[{"label":"Reported feel","score":35,"weight":0.35},{"label":"Robbery risk","score":34,"weight":0.45},{"label":"Pickpocket risk","score":78,"weight":0.2}]},"categories":[{"key":"crime","label":"Crime","score":46,"tier":1},{"key":"sentiment","label":"Traveller Sentiment","score":43,"tier":1},{"key":"advisories","label":"Advisories","score":72,"tier":2},{"key":"stability","label":"Stability","score":57,"tier":2},{"key":"health","label":"Health & Air","score":65,"tier":2}]},"advisories":[{"source":"U.S. Department of State","level":2,"label":"Exercise Increased Caution","updated":"Tue, 12 Aug 2025","url":"https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/mexico-travel-advisory.html"},{"source":"UK Foreign Office (FCDO)","level":3,"label":"Advises against all-but-essential travel to parts","updated":"2026-08-07T09:54:05Z","url":"https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/mexico"},{"source":"Government of Canada","level":2,"label":"Exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories)","updated":"2026-08-14T13:58:39.9557053-04:00","url":"https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/mexico"}],"indicators":[{"key":"homicide","label":"Homicide rate","value":24.8589948436701,"display":"24.9 / 100k","year":"2023","score":21,"source":"World Bank Open Data"},{"key":"crime_major_constraint","label":"Crime seen as a major business constraint","value":12.3,"display":"12.3%","year":"2010","score":69,"source":"World Bank Enterprise Surveys"},{"key":"terrorism_deaths_pm","label":"Terrorism deaths (latest year)","value":0.09094567587415847,"display":"0.09 / million","year":"2021","score":93,"source":"Global Terrorism Database"},{"key":"road_deaths","label":"Road traffic deaths","value":12,"display":"12.0 / 100k","year":"2021","score":60,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"stability","label":"Political stability & no terrorism","value":53.6732923,"display":"54/100","year":"2024","score":54,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"rule_of_law","label":"Rule of law","value":37.1058908,"display":"37/100","year":"2024","score":37,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"corruption","label":"Control of corruption","value":28.8100291,"display":"29/100","year":"2024","score":29,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"gov_effectiveness","label":"Government effectiveness","value":47.0640988,"display":"47/100","year":"2024","score":47,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"regulatory","label":"Regulatory quality","value":51.7749322,"display":"52/100","year":"2024","score":52,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"voice","label":"Voice & accountability","value":50.9282349,"display":"51/100","year":"2024","score":51,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"city_population_scale","label":"Urban scale factor","value":1020,"display":"1k residents","year":null,"score":92,"source":"City Geocoding"},{"key":"numbeo_crime_index","label":"Crime index (crowdsourced)","value":52.7,"display":"52.7 / 100","year":null,"score":51,"source":"Numbeo Crime Index"},{"key":"safe_walking_dark","label":"Feel safe walking alone after dark","value":41.3,"display":"41.3%","year":"2024","score":37,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"violence_victimization","label":"Physical assault (past year)","value":6.1,"display":"6.1%","year":"2024","score":72,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"sexual_violence","label":"Sexual violence (past year)","value":1.6,"display":"1.6%","year":"2024","score":81,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"human_trafficking_victims","label":"Detected human-trafficking victims","value":0.06,"display":"0.06 / 100k","year":"2024","score":91,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"bribery_contact_rate","label":"Bribery during public-official contact","value":13.96,"display":"14.0%","year":"2023","score":69,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"air_quality","label":"Air quality","value":43,"display":"US AQI 43 · Good","year":null,"score":91,"source":"Open-Meteo Air Quality"},{"key":"health","label":"Travel health notices","value":1,"display":"1 notice · max Watch","year":null,"score":84,"source":"CDC Travelers' Health"},{"key":"hospitals","label":"Hospitals nearby","value":0,"display":"None mapped within 15 km","year":null,"score":22,"source":"OpenStreetMap"},{"key":"weather","label":"Extreme weather","value":37,"display":"August: highs ~37°C · high heat","year":null,"score":80,"source":"Open-Meteo"},{"key":"natural_hazards","label":"Natural hazards","value":1,"display":"1 active alert · Drought (green)","year":null,"score":61,"source":"GDACS / USGS"},{"key":"advisory","label":"Government travel advisory","value":2,"display":"Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution · 2 govts","year":null,"score":72,"source":"US State Dept · Canada"},{"key":"research_robbery_risk","label":"Mugging & robbery risk","value":2,"display":"High risk","year":null,"score":45,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_pickpocket_risk","label":"Pickpocketing & theft risk","value":3,"display":"Moderate risk","year":null,"score":70,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_sentiment_score","label":"Visitor safety sentiment","value":35,"display":"35 / 100 (Mostly negative)","year":null,"score":35,"source":"City Web Research"}],"healthNotices":[{"level":"Watch","title":"Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Mexico","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/rmsf-mexico"},{"level":"Alert","title":"Global Polio","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level2/global-polio"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Dengue","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/dengue-global"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Measles","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/measles-globe"}],"hazardAlerts":[{"kind":"Drought","severity":"green","title":"Drought is on going in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, El Salvador","distanceKm":354}],"fieldResearch":{"verdict":"No — Sinaloa state is unsafe for travelers due to active cartel violence, Level 4 U.S. advisory, and frequent highway robberies.","summary":"Sinaloa is one of six Mexican states under a U.S. Level 4 'Do Not Travel' advisory as of August 2026, driven by cartel conflict and violent crime. While tourist zones like Mazatlán see lower incident rates, the state overall faces high risks of armed robbery, carjacking, and extortion, especially on highways and in Culiacán. Visitor sentiment is poor outside resort areas, with frequent reports of shakedowns and insecurity.","robberyRisk":{"level":"High","note":"Armed robbery and carjacking are frequent on highways like 1D and 15D, particularly between Los Mochis and Culiacán, and in urban areas of Culiacán."},"pickpocketRisk":{"level":"Moderate","note":"Pickpocketing and bag-snatching occur in crowded areas of Mazatlán’s Mercado Pino Suárez and Culiacán’s markets, though less prevalent than in larger Mexican cities."},"safeAreas":["Mazatlán Zona Dorada","Topolobampo","El Fuerte"],"avoidAreas":["Culiacán Centro","Highway 15D (Mazatlán to Culiacán)"],"scams":["Fake hotel reservation offers via social media in Mazatlán","Corrupt police shaking down tourists for cash, especially outside tourist zones"],"zones":[{"name":"Mazatlán Centro Histórico","level":"caution","note":"Tourist area with visible police presence but petty theft and scams reported, especially at night."},{"name":"Mazatlán Zona Dorada","level":"safe","note":"Hotel zone with private security, generally safe for tourists during day and evening."},{"name":"Culiacán Centro","level":"avoid","note":"High cartel activity; frequent violent incidents, extortion, and kidnapping risks reported in August 2026."},{"name":"Culiacán Las Quintas","level":"caution","note":"Residential area with moderate crime; avoid after dark due to robbery and assault risks."},{"name":"Los Mochis Centro","level":"caution","note":"Commercial hub with sporadic violence linked to cartel disputes; exercise increased caution, especially at night."},{"name":"Topolobampo","level":"safe","note":"Port and ferry terminal with tourist presence; low violent crime but watch for pickpocketing and scams."},{"name":"El Fuerte","level":"safe","note":"Historic town with tourism infrastructure; generally safe but remain alert for opportunistic theft."},{"name":"Highway 15D (Mazatlán to Culiacán)","level":"avoid","note":"Active cartel corridor; military patrols increased after June 2026 highway robberies; avoid night travel."},{"name":"Highway 40D (Sierra Madre Occidental toll road)","level":"caution","note":"Official toll road considered safe for transit, but avoid stopping in remote areas."}]}}