Top 10 Cartels That Are Still Active
#10: Oficina de Envigado
In the 1990s, Oficina operated as the enforcement wing of Pablo Escobar’s infamous Medellín Cartel in Colombia. It was later associated with the paramilitary group, the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia. After Escobar’s death, and the collapse of the Medellín Cartel, Oficina evolved into a drug trafficking organization in its own right. However, a slew of high-profile arrests saw it weakened and broken up into a coalition of smaller organizations. Nowadays, it mostly provides services to other drug traffickers, operating as a sort of “mafia federation”.
#9: Jalisco New Generation Cartel
A relatively new cartel, the Jalisco New Generation was founded in 2009, but has become notorious for its use of extreme violence. Named after the Mexican state of Jalisco, the semi-militarized group is the country’s most dangerous organization. It partakes in trafficking narcotics, and stealing crude oil. The group is heavily armed, and even once shot down a military helicopter with an RPG. It’s currently led by the most wanted man in Mexico, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, whose bounty has been set to $10 million by the US authorities.
#8: Comando Vermelho
Portuguese for ‘Red Command’, Comando Vermelho is a Brazilian cartel involved in various forms of trafficking, including drugs and arms. But they also commit more personal crimes, including robberies, loan sharking, and kidnapping. Those who have seen the film “City of God” may be familiar with Comando Vermelho, as it showcases the gang’s origins. The group is primarily active in the city of Rio de Janeiro, but its reach extends to nearby countries like Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia. Comando Vermelho has fought fiercely with the authorities, and in 2010 famously went to battle with the Brazilian Army. In 2016, members shot down a police helicopter, killing all four officers on board.
#7: Cartel of the Suns
Cartels often grow powerful thanks to influence with politicians and the military. And that’s how Venezuela’s Cartel of the Suns was born. The organization began in the mid 1990s, when corrupt members of the Venezuelan military turned a blind eye to drugs coming in from Colombia. This soon evolved into active participation. In fact, the name “Cartel of the Suns” references the sun-like emblems worn by Venezuelan military generals. It’s believed that the cartel flourished under the corrupt rule of Hugo Chávez, and it’s alleged that President Nicolás Maduro is also involved. Another man implicated in its operation is Diosdado Cabello, the captain of the Venezuelan armed forces.
#6: Primeiro Comando da Capital
According to the Brazilian government, Primeiro Comando da Capital is the biggest and most active criminal organization in the country. Part cartel, and part mafia, PCC participates in nearly every aspect of organized crime, including drug trafficking, protection rackets, and robberies. In April of 2017, Primeiro Comando da Capital executed the largest robbery in Paraguayan history, stealing $8 million and killing one police officer. It operates primarily in the state of São Paulo and has a close alliance with 'Ndrangheta, one of the most violent and powerful mafias in the world. PCC’s leader, a man known as Marcola, is currently serving 234 years in prison and is controlling the cartel from inside its walls.
#5: The Tijuana Cartel
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There once was a time when the Tijuana Cartel was the most dangerous group in Mexico. It came to prominence following the arrest of Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, who ran the Guadalajara Cartel throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s. His story was famously captured in the Netflix drama “Narcos: Mexico.” Upon his imprisonment, Gallardo’s cartel split up, and his nephews, the Félix brothers, started the Tijuana Cartel. The cartel has dwindled in power, as most of the Félix brothers are either dead or imprisoned. But it is still active in Baja California and the southwestern United States, and it is currently being run by Enedina Arellano Félix.
#4: Juárez Cartel
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Like the Jalisco New Generation, the Juárez Cartel is known for its horrific acts of violence, often displayed in public as a form of intimidation. This has made the Juárez Cartel one of the most feared organizations in Mexico, despite its loss in power since the death of leader Amado Carrillo Fuentes in 1997. It’s currently run by Juan Pablo Ledezma, with Mexican authorities offering a bounty of $2.5 million for information leading to his capture. The cartel has a strong presence in the city of Ciudad Juárez; its close proximity to the border has allowed the organization to spread into the southern United States.
#3: Los Zetas
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When it comes to violent drug cartels, it doesn’t get much worse than Los Zetas. The founders were deserters from the Mexican Army, who worked as enforcers for the Gulf Cartel before forming their own gang in 2010. Aside from drug trafficking, the cartel is behind a slew of violent activities, including assassinations, kidnappings, and arson. Their control extends throughout much of Mexico, and they are allied with many influential organizations around the globe, including the aforementioned 'Ndrangheta and various cartels like Tijuana and Juárez. Los Zetas is heavily involved in Mexico’s oil trade, and has a hand in the distribution of fentanyl and thus the ongoing opioid crisis.
#2: Gulf Cartel
Over its long history, the Gulf Cartel has built up considerable wealth and power. The cartel was created back in the 1930s by smuggler Juan Nepomuceno Guerra, who transported alcohol across the Mexico-American border during Prohibition. His nephew, Juan García Abrego, eventually took control of the Gulf Cartel and shifted its focus to the trafficking of narcotics. Not only has it succeeded wildly in that regard, but it has extended its reach throughout much of the globe. With operations in Asia and Africa, the Gulf Cartel is one of the most prolific and influential criminal organizations in the world.
#1: Sinaloa Cartel
The Sinaloa Cartel is the most powerful drug trafficking syndicate in the world. Like the Tijuana and Juárez Cartels, Sinaloa was born out of the disintegration of Guadalajara. The organization is heavily involved in the global drug market and is primarily responsible for the distribution of fentanyl throughout the world. It is currently being run by Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, who has never been arrested and is wanted for $15 million. The current run of the Sinaloa Cartel is analogous to the glory days of the Medellín Cartel, and that is truly saying something.
