WASHINGTON (TND) — While thousands of pounds of fentanyl continue flooding through the U.S. Southern Border, killing Americans, it's become clear fentanyl smuggling barely scratches the surface of the extent of Mexican drug cartels' illegal operations in Mexico and America. Mexican cartels are now presenting an even bigger danger as they look to diversify their operations.
A recent report from the Department of Drug Enforcement Administration shows Mexican drug cartels operate in all 50 states here in the U.S.
Thousands of Sinaloa and Jalisco cartel-linked drug dealers in the United States bring illicit fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs into American communities every day. A web of illicit drug wholesalers, only one step removed from the cartels in Mexico, operate in major cities throughout the United States, like Los Angeles, Phoenix, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, and others. Smaller branches of the cartels spread the drugs further, often using social media platforms and messaging applications to advertise their deadly products and recruit couriers and dealers.However, their scope across Mexico is even more substantial. A research science journal shows Mexican cartels are one of Mexico's top employers with an estimated 160,000-185,000 workers. To keep their numbers up, they must recruit around 370 people per week, since many of their workers are either killed by competing cartels or arrested and jailed for illegal activities.
Drug smuggling is one of the biggest sources of funding for Mexican cartels. Americans who purchase illegal substances, who are unfortunately addicted to drugs, are contributing to the cartels every time they make a purchase.
The Mexican cartels have also been consistently extorting the country’s lime and avocado growers. According to the global security and risk management firm, Infortal Worldwide, cartels charge growers around $50 per 2.5 acres per month. They offer protection in exchange for the money and often care for the growers’ families.
It must be noted that major US companies are at risk of purchasing from cartel-linked growers. Household store brands such as Whole Foods, Costco, and Sam’s Club often source their avocados from Michoacán, and are potentially unwitting actors within a drug cartel’s supply chain. Such purchasing not only exposes American distributors of avocados to political risk and potential liabilities, but also potential cooption or extortion of their own companies from sophisticated political actors," Infortal Worldwide notes.Since the U.S. gets most of our avocado and lime supply from Mexico, we are likely contributing to cartels when we buy this produce.
But their tentacles extend far beyond drugs and produce, controlling large portions of Mexico's economy. The DEA reported they’re now stealing fuel from pipelines, constructing resorts and selling timeshares at them, extorting migrants and prison officials, and even started their own makeshift Wi-Fi company.
As far as their customers go, most of them don’t have a choice. Mexican officials in Michoacán told the Associated Pressthat locals were told they have two options: pay for the new makeshift Wi-Fi service from the cartel or face death.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qrDAoaannaeoe6S7zGilnq%2BjZLuiwMiopWavn6e5pXvFq6amZZGrvKStw6iqZqyfYsSqsshmmKWZoqK2r7OMoKmor6SderCyjKacsaGTlrtur8Crq56kXZi8r8DRqKNmnpGYwW6vx56apGWkmq6uecyer6Kbn2K2rbjEoJilZZ%2BlsrOt06Kmp6tdqruqwMSdZKyskamytHnOqZyrmaSevK%2B%2FjKygp5mcpK5utsCloKybn2Kxs8HGrGSnmaKYvLW1wqxkn52eqa6vxcs%3D