Many visitors consider Mexico to be a battleground for local drug cartels. But globalization has led to the fact that in recent years foreign mafia structures have also moved into the country. A study conducted by the Autonomous University of Coahuila shows that this is not an isolated episode, but a systemic phenomenon: representatives of criminal networks from at least 11 countries operate in all 32 states of Mexico.
The study's author, Victor Manuel Sanchez Valdez, writes that his work grew out of an analysis of the international expansion of Mexico's two main drug cartels — Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco Cartel New Generation. He began to explore how these structures penetrate dozens of countries (the first is now present in 96, the second in 61 countries), and then realized that the process is two-way. Foreign criminal groups are not only present in Mexico, but are actively integrating into the local criminal environment.
Analysis of the activities of foreign cartels in Mexico made it possible to create a map that demonstrates not only the geography of their presence, but also patterns. The greatest concentration of foreign cartels is observed in the border regions, as well as in the largest cities and guest government centers of Mexico.
As you can see, in all states of Mexico, without exception, there is at least one foreign criminal organization or criminal. At the same time, Mexico City is the region where the largest number of such groups is concentrated — 10 out of 11, followed by Baja California and Quintana Roo with 8, Hidalgo and Veracruz with 7, Mexico State, Tamaulipas and Tabasco with 6, and in addition Chihuahua, Sonora, Jalisco and Yucatan with 5.
The most significant influence, according to the study, is exerted by Colombian criminal groups. This is not a single organization, but a collection of groups united by origin and specialization. Their key tool — the so-called «gota a gota» scheme (drop by drop), which formally represents microcredit, but in fact is extortion. Microloans are offered to small businesses and vulnerable segments of the population, and when they are unable to repay them, they are “put on the counter.” Colombian networks are present in almost all states of the country, making them the most widespread foreign criminal force.
In addition, there are groups working with migrant flows. Mara Salvatrucha (El Salvador) and Tren de Aragua (Venezuela) stand out here. Their activities are based on the exploitation of migrants traveling through Mexico towards the United States. Human trafficking, forced prostitution and especially extortion — these crimes become part of the migrant route. In essence, we are talking about a parallel economy built into the transit corridor.
The author of the study warns that in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup, there has been an increase in the number of women from Latin American countries who are brought to Mexico by Mara Salvatrucha (El Salvador) and Tren de Aragua, in collaboration with the Jalisco cartel, to engage in prostitution with travelers.
The presence of European and Eurasian criminal structures deserves special attention. The Italian 'Ndrangheta, Russian and Albanian networks, and in addition representatives of the criminal world from the United States use Mexico as a country of refuge. Many of them are wanted in their states. They had previously collaborated with some criminal group in the United States or Mexico, and it offered them asylum or protection in Mexico. High criminal activity and the overload of Mexico's law enforcement system create favorable criteria for «dissolution». An example is Daniele Puglia, associated with the Italian mafia, who hid in Mexico, using the support of local structures, and was arrested in 2025.
The presence of American criminal networks in Mexico is also widespread. These are gangs with cross-border activity, such as Barrio Azteca or Mexicles, operating in northern states. These are, in addition, individual criminals hiding from US justice. Borders in the modern criminal environment — the concept is quite arbitrary.
Asian crime is represented primarily by Chinese networks. Their activities go beyond traditional drug trafficking and include environmental crimes. Illegal logging in southeastern Mexico, especially in Chiapas and Campeche (Lacandon Jungle), is linked to the export of valuable timber to China. Here the wood is cut, loaded onto ships in the port and transported to China. A complex chain is being formed: local performers, foreign coordinators and international logistics channels. A similar logic applies to the supply of chemical precursors for the production of synthetic drugs — a critical element for the cartels, which in addition pass through Chinese crime in Mexico. The most famous case is that of Zhi Dong Zhang («Brother Wang»), a Chinese citizen accused of selling precursor chemicals to both of Mexico's largest cartels to produce synthetic drugs.
En México operan criminales y mafias del extranjero en las 32 entidades; provienen de al menos 13 países. Comparto un mapa que resume su presencia, incluido en mi artículo de hoy en@nexosmexico(link al artículo en el primer comentario).pic.twitter.com/IqCKx5OTNg
— Víctor Sánchez (@victorsanval)March 18, 2026
Romanian groups are also strong, but most often specialize in high-tech fraud schemes. The most famous case involves Florian Tudor, whose network installed counterfeit ATMs in public areas of Cancun, the Riviera Maya, Mexico City, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta. These devices collected users' banking information without issuing cash, after which the materials were used to steal funds. The peculiarity of this scheme — targeting foreigners, which reduced the likelihood of an immediate response and complicated the investigation.
Canadian example — Ryan Wedding — illustrates how one man became one of the Sinaloa Cartel's main middlemen for smuggling drugs from Mexico to the United States and Canada. He operated in Mexico for several years and even started a family here.
Certain foreign groups are present in Mexico only to buy something here. These could be medicines or drugs, endangered species of animals, rare wood species, etc.
Foreign groups in Mexico rarely come into open conflict with local cartels. On the contrary, their strategy — it's collaboration. They offer skills and capabilities that local players may lack: financial schemes, money laundering, access to international markets, specific crimes. In return, they receive protection, access to Mexican cartel permits, and work in a relatively safe environment. At the same time, foreign criminal structures do not dominate.
Mexico plays several roles in the global criminal system. This is a sales market, a transit corridor, a logistics hub, and a refuge. Here they sell chemical components, purchase natural resources, accompany migration flows, launder money and create fraudulent networks. Each of these functions attracts its own category of foreign players.
The widespread presence of foreign criminals poses difficult challenges for the state. Here we would have to deal with our own crime, and we also need to think about international coordination of the fight, data exchange, tracking financial flows and analyzing migration risks. Without this, Mexico risks looking like a global hub for international crime.