Organized Crime: The Gulf Cartel (8/14/24)

Beyond The Horizon

The Gulf Cartel is one of Mexico's oldest and most notorious criminal organizations, originating in the 1930s as a smuggling operation under Juan Nepomuceno Guerra. It expanded significantly in the 1980s under the leadership of Juan García Ábrego, becoming a major player in the international drug trade by trafficking cocaine from Colombia to the United States. The cartel was known for its ability to corrupt law enforcement and government officials, allowing it to operate with relative impunity.
In the 1990s, under the ruthless leadership of Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, the cartel further militarized by recruiting former Mexican special forces soldiers, forming the notorious enforcement wing known as Los Zetas. This period marked the cartel's peak in power but also set the stage for future conflicts.
A violent split occurred in 2010 when Los Zetas broke away, leading to a bloody turf war that weakened both groups. The Gulf Cartel fragmented into smaller factions, and its influence declined significantly, though it remains active in drug trafficking and other criminal activities, particularly in northeastern Mexico. The cartel's legacy is marked by its role in escalating violence and corruption in Mexico's ongoing drug wars.
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