Drug cartel
The term drug cartel is used to describe a group who makes, distributes and sells illegal drugs on national level. Drug cartels are often doing so across multiple countries. Mostly, the cartels in areas like Mexico and South America bring drugs to North America.
The basic structure of a drug cartel is the following:
- Falcons: Considered the "eyes and ears" of the cartel. Falcons are typically the lowest rank of drug cartel members. They are scouts, responsible for reporting activities of the police, military, and rival groups.
- Hitmen: These members are armed. They are responsible for carrying out assassinations, kidnappings, and theft. They are also responsible for defending their turf from rival groups and the military.
- Lieutenants: The second highest position in a drug cartel. They are typically allowed to carry out low-profile murders without permission from their bosses. They are also responsible for supervising the hitmen below them.
- Drug Lords: The highest position in a drug cartel. They are responsible for supervising the drug industry, appointing leaders, making alliances with rival groups, and planning high profile murders.
There are other members in drug cartels, typically those who are drug planters and suppliers. They are critical parts of a drug cartels operation. They are technically not considered part of the logistics in drug cartels.
Drug Cartel Media
The Mérida Initiative, a U.S. Counter-Narcotics Assistance to Mexico
Drug trafficking tunnel under the U.S.-Mexico border used by the Sinaloa Cartel
Drug War related murders in Mexico, 2006–2011
El Azul was a Mexican drug lord. He was a former Mexican secret police (DFS) agent.
Map of violent crime per 100,000 people in the US by state in 2016
Area of influence map of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in the United States.
Luis Hernando Gomez-Bustamante, also known as "Rasguño", arrest performed by the National Police of Colombia
