Former U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico John Anderson highlighted the evolving challenges posed by cartels and organized crime and their influence in the United States.
Anderson reflected on the shifting landscape of cartel activities over his nearly three years as U.S. attorney.
"I think we saw a number of things,” he told Federal Newswire. “One of them that I would say is most notable would be an expansion of the types of activities that the cartels were engaged in.”
Anderson underscored the broadened scope of cartel operations from drug trafficking to human smuggling, trafficking and the trafficking of firearms.
“Traditionally we think of cartels as drug trafficking as being their principal business,” he said. “I think we saw a significant expansion of that activity. Not only are they manufacturing fentanyl and other drugs with precursors that are often brought in from other countries, but we saw them expand.”
With 10.5 million illegal immigrants flooding over the country’s borders in the past few years, the problem has gotten noticeably worse.
In 2021 alone cartels are said to have made $13 billion on smuggling illegal aliens across the border.
Critics note those relationships often last beyond human smuggling and result in increased criminality when those smuggled move to U.S. communities.
“Now nobody crosses without paying the cartels. So the cartels, you know, determine when people cross, you know, how many people cross at a time, all of that. It’s all—it’s all controlled by them,” Tucson Sector Chief Patrol Agent John Modlin told the House Committee on Homeland Security in 2023.
Anderson hinted at the pervasive nature of cartel infiltration into various sectors, including agriculture and commerce, pointing out the increasing influence of cartels in legitimate businesses.
"I have no doubt that that is going on," Anderson said.
More recently cartels have been asserting their influence over the avocado trade between the US and Mexico.
In mid-July, two American inspectors were attacked in Michoacán, prompting a temporary halt in avocado imports and a sharp price increase in the U.S.
This incident highlighted the complex interplay between avocado production, drug cartels, and corruption in Michoacán, Mexico's main avocado-producing region.
U.S. and Mexican officials are currently reevaluating inspection protocols to secure the avocado supply chain, amid concerns over illegal deforestation and cartel influence, shaping the future of the lucrative so-called "green gold" industry.
Avocados are just one example of the expansion cartels have undergone.
Anderson did not mince words about the widespread reach of cartel influence.
"I think it's exceptionally widespread," he said.
Anderson highlighted the significant role of cartels in the current fentanyl crisis plaguing the United States and noted a growing presence of cartel operations in major U.S. cities and beyond.
He linked the majority of synthetic opioids to powerful cartels like CJNG and the Juarez Cartel and warned against viewing the issue as confined solely to border regions.
"This is no longer a problem that can be relegated to the southwest border," he said.
Reflecting on the challenges faced in combating cartel influence, Anderson stressed the importance of bolstering law enforcement efforts in Mexico and Central and South Americas.
"We have to be proactive in developing those partnerships and in increasing and improving our own law enforcement activities south of the border," he said.
Anderson advocates for proactive measures to stem the flow of criminal activities before they reach U.S. borders, emphasizing the need for a coordinated approach between U.S. and regional law enforcement agencies.
"What we really need to do to effectively combat the cartels is to invest in supporting the law enforcement and government infrastructures in Mexico and other Central American countries," he said.
Anderson currently serves as Partner at Holland & Hart where he specializes in government investigations and white collar crime.
