15 Biggest Drug Cartels in the World

1. Sinaloa Cartel

Topping our list of the biggest drug cartels in the world is the Sinaloa cartel. The Sinaloa cartel is an international criminal organization, counted among the world’s most influential drug-trafficking syndicates. This cartel is headquartered in Culiacán, located in the state of Sinaloa, Mexico. Its origins can be traced back to the Guadalajara cartel, which was one of the largest criminal organizations in Mexico during the early 1980s. However, following the cartel’s involvement in the 1985 torture and murder of a U.S. drug enforcement agent, both U.S. and Mexican authorities launched a crackdown on the syndicate. By the end of the decade, it had fragmented into various groups, with one of these groups being established in Sinaloa. Sinaloa is a state with a long history of involvement in the illegal drug industry, known for its cultivation of marijuana and poppy crops.

Pixabay/Public Domain

Suggested articles:

• 25 Dumbest Cities in America
• 25 Least Hygienic Countries in the World
• 20 Saddest Cities in the World

Disclosure: None. 15 Biggest Drug Cartels in the World is originally published on Insider Monkey.