4. Juarez Cartel
It is based in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, and is dedicated to drug trafficking, although it has expanded to other activities such as human trafficking, kidnapping and extortion.
Its origins date back to the year of 1980 and at its time of greatest apogee had a presence in 21 entities, including Sinaloa, Durango, Jalisco, Coahuila, Zacatecas, Michoacán, Colima, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Veracruz, Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatán , Quintana Roo, Puebla, Morelos and Mexico City.
Under the leadership of Amado Carrillo Fuentes, “The Lord of the Skies”, that organization grew exponentially. Over time it managed to control at least half of all traffic in Mexico and extended its operations to Central and South America.
“Through the use of commercial and messaging traffic, the Juarez poster moved thousands of tons of Colombia from Colombia to Mexico by air. From Mexico, the drug was transported to the United States by land,” says an Insight Crime report.
5th Northeast Cartel
It emerged as a branch of “Los Zetas”, and has a presence in at least eight entities: Durango, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Veracruz, Campeche and Yucatán.
“The CDN was formed about a decade ago, of the ashes of the Silginians Zetas, who also emerged in Nuevo Laredo. But the Zetas were atomized after several deaths and the capture of important leaders such as Miguel Treviño Morales, aka« Z40 “And Omar Treviño Morales, aka” Z42 “, explains an analysis of Insight Crime.
Among its criminal activities is the kidnapping, extortion, vehicle theft, people traffic and drug trafficking.
The DEA identifies this cartel as it gave them, the Zetas, as groups that resort to extreme violence to control large extensions of northern Mexico, even by the United States border.
With the increase in migratory flow, the Northeast Cartel has seen a source to obtain resources in the kidnapping of migrants.
6. United Warriors
It was founded in 2010 and today has a presence in four entities: Guerrero, State of Mexico, Mexico City and Morelos.
It emerged as a split of the Beltrán Leyva group, and others of drug trafficking, is dedicated to activities such as kidnapping and extortion.
This criminal group is identified for resorting to aggressive tactics and the use of extreme violence in the entities that operates.
This organization was linked to the disappearance of the 43 students of Ayotzinapa, which occurred on the night of the 26th and dawn of September 27, 2014. According to the official version, the students were arrested and delivered to members of that criminal group.
According to the DEA, Guerreros Unidos is an important actor in Guerrero for the production and traffic of heroin and in entities in the center of the country.
(Photo: Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)
7. The Michoacan family
It is an organization that has its origins in the 1980s and today has operations in Guerrero, State of Mexico, Morelos and Michoacán.
Among the activities carried out are drug trafficking, homicide, money laundering, extortion and arms trafficking.
The DEA identifies this organization as a drug trafficker from Central America, which includes methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl, which are destined for the United States.
Insight Crime says that when the Michoacan family was in its best moments it was considered one of the most powerful.
“When the family was at the top of its power it was one of the strongest, bloody and powerful Mexican criminal organizations, whose activities went from drug trafficking and kidnapping, extortion and systematic blackmail. The family had international contacts for the Distribution of methamphetamine, even in Holland, India, China and Bulgaria, “says a report from that organization.
In 2011, that organization fractured in the Michoacan family and the new Michoacan family.
8. Beltrán Leyva
Originally from Sinaloa, this organization dates from 2008, year until which worked with the Sinaloa cartel. It has a presence in Nuevo León, Mexico City and Puebla.
Among its activities are the side of money, extortion, kidnapping, arms trafficking and homicide.
Although it became considered one of the most powerful in Mexico, it was weakened by several arrests and murders of its members.
Insight Crime refers that the DEA identified that this organization infiltrated the security corporations of the Mexican government.
“In 2005, the United States Drug Control Administration recorded a conversation between Nahúm Acosta, an advisor close to the Vicente Fox government, and one of the Beltrán Leyva, probably Héctor. The H was responsible for the payroll, which allegedly also included senior members of the Federal Research Agency (AFI). “
For allegedly having received $ 450,000 per month from the Beltrán Leyva, Ramírez went to prison but in 2013 the charges were retired.
This group was led by the Beltrán Leyva brothers, but all were captured or killed.
9. Los Rojos
It emerged as a split of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel, and today it has activities in two entities mainly: Guerrero and Morelos.
His base of operations is located in Chilpancigo, Guerrero his criminal activities highlights the homicide, extortion, arms trafficking, and kidnapping.
According to Insight Crime, the reds are opponents of the CJNG and cooperate with their rivals, the Sinaloa cartel.
At the local level, his adversary is the group of “United Warriors.”
