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 Drugs have been present in Mexico, the United States, and the rest of the world for a long time.  Just recently, within the past 15 years, has the annual income from illicit drug sales risen for some countries, like Mexico.  Mexico has been a big drug trafficking country for some time but has become more powerful since the downfall of the drug cartels in Colombia. Recently it has been in the news for the violence it has brought upon the public. The need for power and money have taken control of the drug cartels in Mexico.     

Mexican drug cartels in the United States

                 In February 2006, according to Mexico’s deputy general for organized crime, Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos, an estimated 8.3 to 24.9 billion dollars are smuggled into Mexico from illicit drug sales.  But where is this money coming from? Much of this illegal income comes straight from the United States.  Marijuana has always been Mexico’s biggest drug export, but recently, with more and more Colombian cocaine being cut off in Florida, distribution of this drug by Mexican cartels has grown greatly. Not only do Mexican drug cartels operate in Mexico, but also have many smaller organizations within United States boundaries.  For many years Mexico has grown Marijuana within the United States in places like California, but recently have been expanding to other places in the east.  Above is a picture of where Mexican Cartels are believed to be present in the United States today.

                Much of the money smuggled into Mexico belongs to the major Mexican cartels such as the Gulf Cartel and the Federation.  The Gulf cartel, which is operated by one of the most powerful crime organizations, the zetas, is probably one of the most powerful cartels in all of Mexico.  Although the Mexican government  has arrested over 90,000 people on drug charges this decade,  these crime organizations continue to grow at an increasingly rapid rate.   With these cartels growing, the amount of violence in Mexico as well as the United States has increased greatly.  According to Alex Sánchez a COHA researcher, “In 2006, over 4,000 were killed in Mexico in drug-related violence.”  This number is still increasing each year.  Many times, cartels use murder as a warning sign for the police or as retaliation for one of their leaders being arrested.  They have said they won’t stop killing, unless they get what they want.

Mexican drug cartels have been present for a long time, but recently have been expanding into other countries such as the United States.  Unless something is done by a more powerful government, Mexican cartels are going to continue to grow and create more violence.