The Drug Cartel Issues in Mexico Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

The Drug Cartel Issues in Mexico - Essay Example The demise of the Cali and Medellà ­n drug cartels in Colombia led to the rise of the Mexican drug organizations to fill up the vacuum (Jeffrey, 267). The U.S Closure of the Florida cocaine trafficking route pushed for the need of a new trafficking route hence increasing the role played by Mexican cartels in the trafficking. Weintraub (150) believes that Colombian drug organizations still maintain a significant control in South America mainly in cocaine and heroin smuggling to the eastern U.S. The Mexican government claims that there are seven major drug cartels that operate inside Mexico. They include; Gulf, Sinaloa, and Juà ¡rez which have their presence in much of Mexico (Leonard, 25). The Juà ¡rez drug cartel is found in at least 21 Mexican states while the Sinaloa cartel has its presence in at least 17 states. The Gulf cartel has its presence in at least 13 Mexican states. Also, the Tijuana drug cartel has its presence in 15 states (Colleen, 3). According to David Luhnow and Josà © de Cordoba (1) Mexicos cartels already have tentacles that stretch across the Mexican border. The U.S. Justice department estimates that Mexican gangs are operating in at least 230 cities and towns in both countries. David Luhnow and Josà © de Cordoba (1) reveal that the major drug cartels have formed alliances with one another in recent years. As a result of prison negotiations between their leaders, the Gulf and the Tijuana cartels have formed an alliance. â€Å"The Federation† is an alliance composed of representatives from the Valencia, Sinaloa, and Juà ¡rez drug cartels. They do work together, but remain independent and autonomous drug organizations (Colleen, 194). According to Perrya.hubpages.com (1), 90% of the automatic weapons used by the cartels are made and purchased in the U.S legally. The 2,000 mile border between San Diego,