The Jalisco New Generation Cartel has been infiltrating the lime industry in Mexico by force, taxing production and stealing profits from farmers.
The accounts of the organized crime unit can be found in a recent article from Vice, published on Oct. 23, and written by reporter Luis Chaparro.
According to the article, the Jalisco Cartel has been extorting lime farmers in southern Mexico. The cartel has put together a special force known as the "Fuerzas Especiales Limón" (Lime Special Forces) to profit from the local lime industry. This group operates through threats of violence, demanding cuts of profits, and even threatening to kill those who do not comply.
Mexico is a major exporter of limes, reportedly the second-largest in the world. The country exports approximately 900,000 tons of limes annually, with the majority sent to the United States. Just like the avocado industry, the lime industry has been plagued by extortion from cartels for years. Criminal organizations frequently tax by the kilogram, using the enormous quantity of exports as a source of funding.
The article also highlights a previous uprising against criminal intervention in the lime industry. Roughly a decade ago, a group of local farmers stood up against the cartels. However, their leader was eventually killed after receiving numerous death threats, and the issue persists.
Money extracted from the lime industry is being used by the Jalisco Cartel to fund intra-cartel conflicts. Social media posts have surfaced showing soldiers wearing the symbol of the "Fuerzas Especiales Limón" extortion group. These posts began to surface in early September.
Author Luis Chaparro, a freelance reporter, focuses on areas such as human rights and drug trafficking. His article sheds light on the situation in Mexico's lime industry and the ongoing struggle against criminal interference.
