Drug cartels are fifth biggest employer in Mexico, with 175,000 workers

Members of the Sinaloa Cartel prepare capsules with methamphetamine in a safe house in Culiacan, Mexico in 2022. Reuters

Josh Marcus
© UK Independent

Drug cartels employ 175,000 people across Mexico making it the fifth largest employer in the country, according to a new study.

A vast network of 150 cartels are recruiting upwards of 350 new members a week. This puts the Mexican drug trade on par with industries like general practice medicine – which employed 189,000 people in 2023 – and coffee and tobacco cultivation, according to the Mexican government.