The agency is directed by the Attorney General's Office (FGR) and may have been partly modeled on the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States.

PFM agents in action often wear masks to prevent themselves from being identified by gang leaders.

"Street-level" uniformed federal police patrols and transport terminal security are handled by the service personnel of the National Guard.

The Attorney General's Office reported in December 2005 that 1,500 of 7,000 AFI agents — nearly 25% of the force — were under investigation for suspected criminal activity and 457 were facing charges.

2 official in the AFI from 2003 to 2005, was placed under arrest as investigators looked into the possibility that he leaked information to the Sinaloa Cartel in return for monthly payments.