Since the demise of the Cali and Medellín cartels in Colombia during the 1990´s, mexican cartels have taken hold of the wholesale illicit drug market in the United States. Among the most powerful cartels we can point to the Tijuana cartel and the Gulf cartel. They control over 60% of all of the foreign narcotics that are introduced into the United States.
Government estimates of the illicit drug sale earnings range between 14 to 50 billion dollars anually. Although some independent studies estimate it is more than 100 billion dollars.
During the decades of the 1980´s up to the early 2000´s the governments stance was one of relative passivity. This changed radically since December 11, 2006; when Mexican president Felipe Calderon sent 6500 federal troops to his home state of Michoacan, openly declaring an all out war against the drug cartels.
Since then, there have been over 33,000 deaths attributable to this armed conflict.
Government estimates of the illicit drug sale earnings range between 14 to 50 billion dollars anually. Although some independent studies estimate it is more than 100 billion dollars.
During the decades of the 1980´s up to the early 2000´s the governments stance was one of relative passivity. This changed radically since December 11, 2006; when Mexican president Felipe Calderon sent 6500 federal troops to his home state of Michoacan, openly declaring an all out war against the drug cartels.
Since then, there have been over 33,000 deaths attributable to this armed conflict.
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