Tenancingo is now considered to be the center for sex trafficking throughout Mexico, with roots of the practice dating back to the 1970s.

[5] Local sexual exploitation, human trafficking, pimping and forced prostitution industries in Tenancingo are estimated to be worth $1 billion USD annually,[4] with direct ties to the international sex trade.

[6][8] Recent investigations and a documentary Pimp City: A Journey to the Center of the Sex Trade (2014), have revealed that the small town was identified by the United States Department of Justice as the leading provider of female sex slaves to the United States.

[9] According to the documentary, the entire political structure and police force of the town are implicated in human trafficking and sex trade.

[11] On October 11, 2019, the Attorney General of Mexico arrested three members of a sex-trafficking ring in Tenancingo.