History
History of the Mexican Drug CartelsMexican drug smugglers have a long history of trafficking homegrown heroin and marijuana in the U.S. In 1980, Mexico became the main route for drug trade between the United States and Colombia. The U.S. law enforcement caught on Colombia's drug lord's attempts to ship the drug into Florida by boats and planes. To counter act this, the Colombians hired Mexico's Guadalajara Cartel to smuggle their drugs across the Mexican border. In return, the Colombians paid them in cocaine. This allowed the Mexicans to start their own drug trade in the United States. In 1989, the Guadalajara cartel's leader was arrested. As a result, the groups remaining drug lords divided up trafficking routes, creating multiple cartels. This has caused a lot of gang violence and conflict over land and routes.
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