A drug cartel is a criminal organization composed of independent drug lords who collude with each other in order to improve their profits and dominate the illegal drug trade. Drug cartels form with the purpose of controlling the supply of the illegal drug trade and maintaining prices at a high level. The formations of drug cartels are common in Latin American countries. Rivalries between multiple drug cartels cause them to wage turf wars against each other. The term "narcotics cartel" is sometimes used to describe an organization that sells and trafficks narcotics (defined as substances that are illegal, such as cocaine in most places), but this term is not always used accurately as cartels can traffick eg. marijuana in jurisdictions where it is not illegal.

Structure

The basic structure of a drug cartel is as follows:

Falcons

Considered as the "eyes and ears" of the streets, the "falcons" are the lowest rank in any drug cartel. They are scouts, who are responsible for conducting reconnaissance, such as reporting the activities of the police, the military and rival groups.

Hitmen

The armed group within the drug cartel, responsible for carrying out assassinations, kidnappings, thefts and extortions, operating protection rackets, as well as defending their plaza (turf) from rival groups and the military.

Lieutenants

The second highest position in the drug cartel organization, responsible for supervising the hitmen and falcons within their own territory. They are allowed to carry out low-profile murders without permission from their bosses.

Drug lords

Drug lords are the highest position in any drug cartel, responsible for supervising the entire drug industry, appointing territorial leaders, making alliances, in addition to planning high-profile murders.

Other roles

There are other operating groups within the drug cartels. For example, the drug producers and suppliers, although not considered in the basic structure, are critical operators of any drug cartel, along with the smugglers, distributors, sales representatives, accountants and money launderers. Furthermore, the arms suppliers operate in a completely different circle; they are technically not considered part of the cartel's logistics.

Africa

  • Cape Verdean organized crime
  • Mungiki
  • Organized crime in Nigeria
  • Canadian mafia families
  • Rizzuto crime family narcotraficantes (narco-traffickers), or simply as narcos usually refers to several, rival, criminal organizations that are combated by the Mexican government in the Mexican drug war (List sorted by branches and heritage):

Mexican academic Oswaldo Zavala, in his book Drug Cartels Do Not Exist, argues that academics, officials, journalists and writers are mistaken to label the criminal gangs as cartels, noting that they do not meet the definition due to the competitive nature of the drugs trade, and the lack of hierarchal structure. He states that the Mexican state perpetuates the label to justify their militarised response.

According to some observers in 2010, Los Zetas instituted social media demonstrations of torture and sadism in their reprisals which changed the rules of the game among the Mexican cartels. The level of violence and social instability greatly increased during the presidency of Felipe Calderon. The Calderon and Foxe administrations worked closer with American law enforcement and utilized the military forces which led to some confusion among local law enforcement in public security and a variety of human rights abuses and corruption.

The former head of Mexican law enforcement, Genaro García Luna, was sentenced in the Eastern District of New York on October 16, 2024 for his role in Sinaloa Cartel associated drug trafficking in the United States.

Note: As of 2020 the DEA considered the cartels of Sinaloa, Jalisco and Golfo-Noreste-Zetas to be the most influential cartels in Mexico.

  • Sinaloa Cartel (Spawned from the Guadalajara Cartel)
  • Colima Cartel (members are now a branch of the Sinaloa Cartel)
  • Sonora Cartel (was reformed in 2018 and is still a branch of the Sinaloa Cartel) (Independent remnants of the Milenio Cartel)
  • Gulf Cartel (The oldest Mexican criminal syndicate, started as Prohibition-era bootlegging gang)
  • Los Zetas (Formerly part of the Gulf Cartel, now independent)
  • Zetas Vieja Escuela (Formerly part of Los Zetas, now independent)
  • Cártel del Noreste (Formerly part of Los Zetas, now independent)
  • La Familia Michoacana (Formerly a branch of the Gulf Cartel, then went independent)
  • La Nueva Familia Michoacana Organization (Splintered from La Familia Cartel)
  • Knights Templar Cartel (Splintered from La Familia Cartel)
  • Los Negros (Beltran-Leyva enforcement squad; disbanded)
  • South Pacific Cartel (branch of the Beltran Leyva Cartel in Morelos)
  • Independent Cartel of Acapulco (Splinter from the Beltran-Leyva Cartel)
  • La Barredora (gang)
  • La Mano Con Ojos (gang) (small cell of Beltran-Leyva members in the State of Mexico) (Disbanded)
  • La Nueva Administración (Splintered from the Beltran-Leyva Cartel) (Disbanded)
  • La Oficina (gang) (cell of the Beltran-Leyva Cartel in Aguascalientes) (Disbanded)
  • Cártel de la Sierra (cell in Guerrero)
  • Cártel de La Calle (cell in Chiapas)
  • Los Chachos (gang in Tamaulipas) (Disbanded)

thumb|[[Mexican drug war|Drug war related murders in Mexico, 2006–2011]]

  • Tijuana Cartel (Spawned from the Guadalajara Cartel)
  • Oaxaca Cartel (Was a branch of the disbanded Tijuana Cartel, its regional leader was captured in 2007)
  • Juárez Cartel (Spawned from the Guadalajara Cartel)
  • La Línea (Juárez Cartel enforcer squad)
  • Barrio Azteca (U.S. street gang) (Allied with La Linea)thumb|150px|[[Juan José Esparragoza Moreno|El Azul was a Mexican drug lord. He was a former Mexican secret police (DFS) agent.]]
  • Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel
  • Caborca Cartel
  • Lesser-known small-criminal organizations:
  • Los Mexicles (U.S. street gang)
  • Los Texas (street gang) (disbanded)
  • Government officials: Other organizations that have been involved in drug trade or traffic in Mexico:
  • Mexican officials:
  • Municipal, state, and Federal Police forces in Mexico
  • Mexican Armed Forces (Army and Navy)
  • Mexico City International Airport
  • Club Xoloitzcuintles (football)
  • United States officials:
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection

United States

thumb|Map of violent crime per 100,000 people in the US by state in 2016

The United States of America is the world's largest consumer of cocaine and other illegal drugs. This is a list of American criminal organizations involved in illegal drug traffic, drug trade and other related crimes in the United States:

  • Polish Mob
  • Saltis-McErlane Gang
  • Kielbasa Posse
  • The Greenpoint Crew
  • Flats Mob
  • The Flathead gang
  • Prohibition-era gangs
  • Galveston
  • Downtown Gang
  • Beach Gang
  • The Maceo syndicate
  • Shelton Brothers Gang
  • Sheldon Gang
  • Wonderland Gang
  • Greek-American organized crime
  • Philadelphia Greek Mob
  • Velentzas Family
  • Chaldean mafia
  • Hawaii
  • The Company
  • Leota mob
  • Wall gang
  • Elkins mob
  • The Chickens and the Bulls
  • Binion mob
  • Johnston gang
La Cosa Nostra

Italian immigrants to the United States in the early 19th century formed various small-time gangs which gradually evolved into sophisticated crime syndicates which dominated organized crime in America for several decades. Although government crackdowns and a less-tightly knit Italian-American community have largely reduced their power, they remain an active force in the underworld.

Active crime families
  • American Mafia
  • The Commission
  • The Five Families of New York City
  • 116th Street Crew
  • DeMeo crew
Jewish mafia
  • New York City
  • Schultz gang
  • The Bugs and Meyer Mob
  • The Bebos
  • The Country Boys
  • Young Boys, Inc.
  • Oakland, California
  • 69 Mob
  • James Patrick O'Leary organization
  • John Patrick Looney gang
  • Valley Gang
  • Star Gang
  • Klans Massive
  • No Limit Soldiers (Curaçao)
  • Phantom death squad (Guyana)
  • Suri-kartel (Suriname)
  • Zoe Pound (Haitian, see also Tonton Macoute)
  • Dominican drug cartels
  • Paulino organization
  • Féliz organization

South America

Brazil

  • Primeiro Comando da Capital, based in São Paulo
  • Comando Vermelho, based in Rio de Janeiro
  • Terceiro Comando, based in Rio de Janeiro (disbanded)
  • Terceiro Comando Puro, based in Rio de Janeiro
  • Amigos dos Amigos, based in Rio de Janeiro
  • Família do Norte, based in Amazonas
  • Guardiões do Estado, based in Ceará
  • Bonde do Maluco, based in Bahia

Bolivia

  • Bolivian drug cartels (See also García Meza regime drug trafficking)
  • Chapare Cartel
  • La Corporación
  • Santa Cruz Cartel

Colombia

thumb|[[Luis Hernando Gómez|Luis Hernando Gomez-Bustamante, also known as "Rasguño", arrest performed by the National Police of Colombia]]

Colombia is the largest producer of cocaine in the world, and cocaine production in Colombia reached an all-time high in 2017.

Active Colombian drug cartels:

  • The Black Eagles
  • Clan del Golfo
  • Oficina de Envigado
  • National Liberation Army (Colombia)
  • FARC dissidents
  • Los Rastrojos

Historical Colombian drug cartels:

  • Medellín Cartel
  • Cali Cartel
  • Norte del Valle Cartel
  • North Coast Cartel
  • United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
  • Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia

Peru

  • Peruvian drug cartels (see also Vladimiro Montesinos)
  • Zevallos organisation

Ecuador

Active Ecuadorian drug cartels:

  • Los Choneros
  • Los Lobos
  • Los Tiguerones
  • Los Lagartos
  • Los Chone Killers
  • Las Aguílas

Venezuela

Historically Venezuela has been a path to the United States for illegal drugs originating in Colombia, through Central America and Mexico and Caribbean countries such as Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.

According to the United Nations, there has been an increase of cocaine trafficking through Venezuela since 2002. In 2005, Venezuela severed ties with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), accusing its representatives of spying. Following the departure of the DEA from Venezuela and the expansion of DEA's partnership with Colombia in 2005, Venezuela became more attractive to drug traffickers. Between 2008 and 2012, Venezuela's cocaine seizure ranking among other countries declined, going from being ranked fourth in the world for cocaine seizures in 2008 to sixth in the world in 2012.

The cartel groups involved include:

  • The Cuntrera-Caruana Mafia clan moved to Venezuela, which became an important hideout as the clan bought hotels and founded various businesses in Caracas and Valencia, as well as an extended ranch in Barinas, near the Colombian border. "Venezuela has its own Cosa Nostra family as if it is Sicilian territory," according to the Italian police. "The structure and hierarchy of the Mafia has been entirely reproduced in Venezuela." The Cuntrera-Caruana clan had direct links with the ruling Commission of the Sicilian Mafia, and are acknowledged by the American Cosa Nostra. and in 1996 were sentenced to 13–20 years.
  • The Cartel of the Suns According to Jackson Diehl. Deputy Editorial Page Editor of The Washington Post, the Bolivarian government of Venezuela shelters "one of the world's biggest drug cartels". There have also been allegations that former president Hugo Chávez and Diosdado Cabello being involved with drug trafficking.

In May 2015, The Wall Street Journal reported from United States officials that drug trafficking in Venezuela increased significantly with Colombian drug traffickers moving from Colombia to Venezuela due to pressure from law enforcement. One United States Department of Justice official described the higher ranks of the Venezuelan government and military as "a criminal organization", with high ranking Venezuelan officials, such as National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello, being accused of drug trafficking.

  • Yon-daime Yamaken-gumi 四代目山健組
  • Ichiwa-kai 一和会
  • Sun Yee On 新義安(老新)
  • Luen Group 聯字頭
  • Big Circle Gang 大圈
  • Sio Sam Ong (小三王)
  • Chinese-American gangs (See also Tongs)
  • Wah Ching 華青
  • Ping On
  • Black Dragons 黑龍
  • Jackson Street Boys 積臣街小子
  • Taiwan-based Triads
  • United Bamboo Gang 竹聯幫
  • Celestial Alliance
  • Mainland Chinese crime groups (see also Hanlong Group)
  • Chongqing group 重慶組
  • Defunct
  • Honghuzi gangs
  • Green Gang 青帮
  • Triads in Cholon
  • Wu Bang

Southeast Asia

  • Golden Triangle
  • Burmese drug cartels (see also Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army)
  • Khun Sa cartel (see also Mong Tai Army)
  • Red Wa (see also United Wa State Army and National Democratic Alliance Army)
  • Hawngleuk Militia
  • Han cartel
  • Laotian drug cartels (see also Ouane Rattikone)
  • Chao pho
  • Red Wa
  • Filipino crime gangs (See also Abu Sayyaf and New People's Army)
  • Kuratong Baleleng
  • Bahala Na Gang
  • Sigue Sigue Sputnik
  • Putik gang (defunct)
  • Cambodian crime gangs
  • Teng Bunma organization
  • Malaysian crime gangs
  • Mamak Gang
  • Secret societies in Singapore
  • Ang Soon Tong 洪順堂
  • Ghee Hin Kongsi 義興公司
  • Hai San 海山
  • Wah Kee華記
  • Ah Kong 阿公

Vietnamese Xã Hội Đen

  • Bình Xuyên
  • Đại Cathay's mafia during the 60s
  • Năm Cam's mafia of the 90s
  • Khan organization
  • Karzai organization (alleged)
  • Bagcho organization

Central Asia

  • Uzbek mafia (See also Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan)
  • Rakhimov organization
  • Kyrgyz mafia
  • Erkinbayev group
  • Akmatbayev group
  • Kolbayev group

West Asia

  • Israeli mafia
  • Turkish mafia
  • Crime groups in Turkey (see also Deep state and Yüksekova Gang)
  • Kılıç gang
  • İmaç clan (Netherlands)
  • Kurdish mafia (see also )
  • Baybaşin Cartel
  • Cantürk gang
  • Ay gang
  • Majid gang
  • Rahimpur gang
  • Iranian organized crime (see also Jundallah and illegal activities of the IRGC)
  • Tahvili crime family
  • Lebanese mafia (see also Lebanese Civil War militias)
  • Levantine crime clans
  • Miri-Clan
  • Al-Zein Clan
  • Ibrahim clan

Eurasia

Russia

Although organized crime existed in the Soviet era, the gangs really gained in power and international reach during the transition to capitalism. The term Russian Mafia, 'mafiya' or mob is a blanket (and somewhat inaccurate) term for the various organized crime groups that emerged in this period from the 15 former republics of the USSR and unlike their Italian counterparts does not mean members are necessarily of Russian ethnicity or uphold any ancient criminal traditions, although this is the case for some members.

  • Russian-Jewish mafia
  • Brighton Beach
  • Agron gang
  • Nayfeld gang
  • New York branch
  • Tbilisi clan
  • Mirzoyan-Terdjanian organization

Europe

Sweden

  • Original Gangsters
  • Unione Corse
  • Wigs gang
  • North African Brigade (see also Carlingue)
  • Tractions Avant gang
  • Bande des Trois Canards
  • French gypsy gangs
  • Hornec gang
  • Mammoliti 'ndrina
  • Bellocco 'ndrina
  • Cataldo 'ndrina
  • Commisso 'ndrina
  • Cordì 'ndrina
  • De Stefano 'ndrina
  • Pesce 'ndrina
  • Barbaro 'ndrina
  • Piromalli 'ndrina
  • Serraino 'ndrina
  • Siderno Group
  • Secondigliano Alliance
  • Licciardi clan
  • Stidda
  • Mafia Capitale
  • Sinti Casamonica clan
  • Clan Spada di Ostia
  • Milanese gangs
  • Banda della Comasina
  • Turatello crew

Balkans

Balkan organized crime gained prominence in the chaos following the communist era, notably the transition to capitalism and the wars in former Yugoslavia.

  • Albanian mafia (New York City)
  • Gang of Ismail Lika
  • Dobroshi gang (International)
  • Naserligan (Sweden)
  • K-Falangen (Sweden)
  • Bosnian mafia
  • Bajramović gang
  • Delalić gang
  • M-Falangen (Sweden)
  • Dino and Tito Cartel
  • Bulgarian mafia
  • Serb mafia in Scandinavia
  • Kotur mob
  • Yugoslav Brotherhood
  • Montenegrin mafia
  • The Richardson Gang
  • Hoxton Gang

Estonia

  • Estonian mafia/Obtshak
  • Linnuvabriku group

Transnistria

  • Transnistrian mafia

Australia

  • Sydney
  • 5T gang (1985–1999)
  • Freeman gang (defunct)
  • Lenny's gang (1960s)
  • Mr Sin's gang
  • Razor gangs (1920s)
  • Melbourne
  • Carlton Crew

References

Further reading

  • "Drug Wars". Frontline. 2006. PBS.
  • "Mexico: Drug Cartels a Growing Threat"Worldpress, 2006