Title: Drug cartel | Britannica
Headings: Drug cartel
Drug cartel
Colombian drug cartels
Mexican drug cartels
Other cartels
Narco-terrorists
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Drug cartel

Content: However, as U.S. efforts in Colombia slowed the flow of drugs from South America, Mexico emerged as a source of cocaine. The Tijuana cartel—created by members of the Arellano Félix family, especially the brothers Ramon and Benjamin—was founded in the late 1980s and became one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico, responsible for shipping hundreds of millions of dollars worth of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine into the United States. However, Tijuana faced fierce—and often violent—competition from other drug organizations, notably the Juárez, Gulf, and Sinaloa cartels. Under the leadership of Joaquín Guzmán Loera —commonly known as El Chapo (“Shorty”), the Sinaloa cartel emerged as one of the world’s most powerful drug cartels in the early 21st century; according to various reports at the time, it accounted for the majority of illegal drugs in the United States. The Sinaloa cartel amassed power through murder, bribes, and innovative smuggling techniques, notably the use of tunnels. In the early 2000s, the Mexican government, aided by U.S. officials, intensified its efforts to crack down on cartels, imprisoning numerous leaders. The resulting turf battles sparked unprecedented violence in Mexico. Joaquín Guzmán
Joaquín (“El Chapo”) Guzmán following his capture, 2014. Eduardo Verdugo/AP Images
Other cartels
Organized-crime groups in Asia, Africa, Italy, and the former Soviet Union have also been linked to the sale and production of illegal narcotics.