Research shows that Mexican drug cartels pose an increasing threat with their various criminal activities. An article from the Financial Times published in September cites research on the extensive structure of these cartels, which includes massive numbers of employees.

Mexican organized crime groups are consistently growing, reportedly adding hundreds of employees each week, according to an article from the Financial Times. This rapid growth has made it difficult for authorities to address the threat of the cartels and stop the violence they bring. The article states that cartels in Mexico are involved in various different areas of crime, not only the trafficking of drugs.

The article states that the threat of cartels has become a significant area of concern among American politicians, many of whom believe that the Mexican government is not taking the necessary steps to intervene. Reportedly, some authorities in Mexico who are responsible for maintaining peace are, in reality, acting on behalf of the cartels. Moreover, the article states that the current strategy of the Mexican government, especially under the leadership of President López Obrador, has been effectively ceding territory to the cartels with policies lacking in strength.

According to the article, data from “Science” academic journal investigated the structure of the cartels. Reportedly, the research estimates that the number of people employed by these criminal organizations is above 160,000 and that new workers are working at a rate of 350 every week at least. These numbers indicate that in terms of employment numbers, the cartels are bigger than companies such as “Pemex,” a state-owned oil firm.

One of the conclusions drawn by the researchers was that in approaching the issue of cartel violence, policymakers should focus on targeting the recruitment process rather than only looking at active jail members, according to the article.