Strategic threat: narcos and narcotics overview

Figures & data

Table 1. Federation, Gulf, Juárez, and Tijuana cartels: areas of operations and enforcers.

Name	Mexico^a (areas of influence)	United States^b (personnel reported)	Enforcers (gang contractors) ^c
The Federation (Sinaloa)	Sonora, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, Coahuila, Nayarit; US Border from Western Arizona to Juarez/El Paso	Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia	Los Negros, Los Numeros (faction), Los Pelones (Ex Mexican Mil), La Gente Nueva (Mexican LE), Los Lobos (US Citizens), Fuerzas Especiales de Arturo (FEDA), Barrio Azteca (formerly), Mexicles, Artistas Asesinos, La Eme, Sur-13
Gulf	Michoacan, Veracruz, Tamaulipas, Coahuila; US Border East of Juarez/ El Paso to East of Matamoros	Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas	Los Zetas (Ex Mexican SF), Kaibiles (Ex Guatemalan SF), La Familia, Grupo Tarasco, Los Numeros (faction), Los Halcones, Los Zetitas (Loredo gang members), Texas Syndicate, Mexikanemi, MS-13 (El Salvador), Hermanos Pistoleros Latinos (HPL), Tango Blast
Juárez	Chihuahua, Coahuila; US Border Juarez/EL Paso area	Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wyoming	Los Linces (Ex GAFE), La Linea (State & Local LE), Barrio Azteca (Currently), Sureños, Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico, Mexican Clique Killers
Tijuana	Baja California; US Border from San Diego to East of Mexicali into Western Arizona	Alaska, California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Washington	Fuerzas especiales del Muletas (FEM), Sicarios (Tijuana street gangs), La Eme, Logan Calle 30, 18th Street, Varrio Chula Vista, Sur-13, Wonderboys, Border Brothers
^a Guerreo, Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo disputed between the Federation and Gulf cartels. STRATFOR, Areas of Cartel Influences, 2008; US Drug Enforcement Agency information, adapted by Congressional Research Service (P. McGrath, 2 March 2007).
^b National Drug Intelligence Center, Situation Report: Cities in Which Mexican DTOs Operate Within the United States, ID. 2008-S0787–005, 11 April 2008. See document for the specific cities within these states.
^c Chris Swecker, Ast. Dir. CID, FBI, Congressional Testimony, 17 November 2005; E. Eduardo Castillo, ‘Mexican attorney general: Drug cartels recruiting hit men in U.S’, signonsandiego.com (20 December 2005); Colleen W. Cook, Mexico's Drug Cartels, CRIS Report for Congress, RL34215, 16 October 2007: numerous other OSINT sources including STRATFOR.

Table 2. US prison and street (Sureños) gangs affiliated with Sinaloa, Gulf, Juárez, or Tijuana cartels.^a

Name	Type	Reach	Size
Barrio Azteca	Prison	National (Texas, SE New Mexico)^b	2000
18th Street	Street	National (44 cities 20 states) & Mexico, Central America^c	30,000–50,000
Hermanos de Pistoleros Latinos	Prison	Local (Texas, Mexico)	1000
Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)	Street	National (& Mexico, Central America)	8,000–10,000 (30,000–50,000 The Americas)
Mexican Mafia (La Eme)	Prison	Regional (California, Southwest, Pacific areas)	200 350–400^b
Mexikanemi (Emi)	Prison	Regional (Texas)	2000
Florencia 13 (F13 or FX13)	Street	Regional (California, 4 other States)	3000+
Sureños Gangs (Sur-13; includes Avenues, F13)	Street	National (Mostly California)	50,000–75,000
Tango Blast	Street-Prison	Regional	14,000+
Texas Syndicate	Prison	Regional (South-West both sides of the border)^b	1,300^b
^a National Drug Intelligence Center, National Drug Threat Assessment 2009, December 2008 and National Gang Intelligence Center, National Gang Threat Assessment 2009, January 2009.
^b US Department of Justice, Attorney General's Report to Congress on the Growth of Violent Street Gangs in Suburban Areas, April 2008.
^c Via other OSINT.

Table 3. The illegal economy of Mexican–US (Sureños) gangs, cartels, and mercenaries.

Commodity/activity	Monetary value (per year)	Location/direction	Participants
Marijuana	$8.5 billion^a	Mexico to US, US, Mexico	Cartels & gangs
Cocaine	$3.9 billion^a	3rd country to Mexico to US, 3rd country to Mexico	Cartels (+ Colombian) & gangs
Methamphetamine	$1.0 billion^a	Mexico to US, US (limited), Mexico	Cartels & gangs
Heroin	$0.4 billion^a	3rd country to Mexico to US, 3rd country to Mexico, Mexico to US, Mexico	Cartels (+ Colombian) &gangs
Illegal immigrants	$2 billion (Arizona)^d	Mexico to US, 3rd country to Mexico to US	Cartels & gangs
Illegal weapons	$0.356–0.730 billion^e	US to Mexico	Cartels, gangs, & mercenaries
Illegal bulk $ & laundering / black market peso exchange (BMPE) / other	$8.6 billion in bank notes.^c	US to Mexico, US to Mexico to 3rd country	Cartels (+ Colombian)
Plaza & gatekeeper taxes (distribution choke points)	> $1 billion	Mexico to US, US to Mexico	Cartels
Street–prison taxation (extortion)	< $1 billion	Mexico & US	Gangs
Kidnapping (including express)	< $1 billion	Mexico & US	Cartels, gangs, & mercenaries
Commodities, load, & monetary theft	< $1 billion	Mexico & US	Cartels, gangs & mercenaries
ALL	$13.8 billion ^a	ALL	ALL
	$25–$30 billion ^b
	$18–$39 billion (includes Colombians)^c
^a Mark Stevenson, ‘Marijuana big earner for Mexico gangs’. Figures from US drug czar John Walters. Heroin value estimated by subtracting other major narcotics from total estimate.
^b STRATFOR, ‘Organized Crime in Mexico’.
^c National Drug Intelligence Center, National Drug Threat Assessment 2009, December 2008. NDIC estimates.
^d Josh Meyer, ‘Blood money flows by wire to Mexico’, A12. Arizona Attorney General estimate of the value of illegal immigrants being smuggled into Arizona each year.
^e Stohl and Tuttle, The Small Arms Trade in Latin America, 15. Mexican government study that suggests 2000 guns are crossing into Mexico each day. Monetary range based on gun values from $500 to $1000. Other OSINT sources also utilized, including a review of all US HIDTA region reports available via NDIC.

Table 4. Trans-operational environments involving US engagement with Mexican cartels, mercenaries and Sureños gangs

Operational environment	Crime	High intensity crime	Homeland security (terrorism and insurgency)	Homeland defense (terrorism and insurgency)	Foreign military support (terrorism and insurgency)	Foreign law enforcement support (high intensity crime)
Physical threat location	United States	United States	United States	United States	Mexico Latin America	Mexico Latin America
NARCO-OPFOR	Street and prison gangs, individual cartel members	Mexican cartels, street and prison gangs	Mexican cartels, Mexican/US street and prison gangs	Mexican cartels, Mexican/US street and prison gangs	Mexican and Colombian cartels, Latin American street and prison gangs	Mexican and Colombian cartels, street and prison gangs
Criminal-combatant Typology	1^st GEN. gangs, individual members of more advanced gangs or cartels and mercenary groups	1^st–2^nd phase cartels, 2^nd GEN. gangs	2^nd–3^rd phase (emergent) cartels, 3^rd GEN. gangs, narco-terrorists, narco-insurgents, narco-mercenaries, criminal-soldiers	2^nd–3^rd phase (emergent) cartels, 3^rd GEN. gangs, narco-terrorists, narco-insurgents, narco-mercenaries, criminal-soldiers	1^st–3^rd phase (emergent) cartels, 3^rd GEN. gangs, narco-terrorists, narco-insurgents, narco- mercenaries, criminal-soldiers	1^st–3^rd phase (emergent) cartels, 2^nd GEN. gangs
US responding Forces	Local and state law enforcement	Special LE units and task forces and federal law enforcement (DEA, FBI, ATF)	Federal law enforcement (DEA, FBI, ATF), Department Of Homeland Security (DHS)	US Northern Command, US Army North	US Northern Command, US Army North, US Southern Command, US Special Forces	Special LE units and task forces and federal law enforcement (DEA, FBI, ATF)
Source: ©Counter-OPFOR Corporation, September 2009.

National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC). Situation Report: Cities in Which Mexican DTOs Operate within the United States. Jonestown, PA. ID. 2008-S0787–005, 11 April 2008, http://www.ndic.gov (accessed 12 June 2009).

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Stevenson , Mark . 21 February 2008 . Marijuana big earner for Mexico gangs . USA Today ,

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Stratfor.com. ‘Organized Crime in Mexico’. 11 March 2008.

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Stohl , Rachel and Tuttle , Doug . March/April 2008 . The Small Arms Trade in Latin America , Washington, DC : Center for Defense Information .

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