Quintana Roo, Mexico — The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has identified six Mexican drug cartels operating in Mexico City, according to its 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment. Among these, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel stand out as dominant forces with significant presence in Quintana Roo.
CJNG Expands Influence Across 23 States
The DEA report highlights the CJNG as one of the most significant threats to public health, safety, and national security in the United States. The cartel operates clandestine drug labs in Mexico and maintains extensive distribution networks to transport illicit substances into the U.S.
"The CJNG is one of the most significant threats to public health, public safety, and national security in the United States," the report states. "The cartel operates clandestine labs in Mexico, where they manufacture illicit drugs, and then uses vast distribution networks to transport them into the United States. Associates, facilitators, and affiliates of the CJNG operate in nearly all 50 U.S. states."
The CJNG has a significant presence in 23 Mexican states, including Mexico City. Authorities had previously confirmed the existence of a CJNG cell operating in the capital. Notably, in June 2020, Omar García Harfuch, now head of Mexico’s Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), survived an assassination attempt allegedly orchestrated by the cartel.
Sinaloa Cartel Maintains Stronghold in 18 States
The Sinaloa Cartel, according to DEA investigations, maintains a strong presence in 18 Mexican states, primarily in the north and south, including Morelos and Mexico City. The cartel, also known as the Pacific Cartel, has expanded its operations to 40 countries in Europe and Asia.
Northeast Cartel and Other Criminal Groups
The DEA also identified the Northeast Cartel as a major player, with its primary operations in Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, and Zacatecas, but also with a strong presence in Mexico City. The group is linked to arms and human trafficking across the Texas-Tamaulipas border, as well as extortion, forced labor, and migrant kidnappings.
La Familia Michoacana, originally formed to counter the Zetas in Michoacán, has expanded into Guerrero, México, and Puebla, while also gaining ground in parts of Mexico City. The DEA notes two powerful factions within the group: La Nueva Familia Michoacana and Cárteles Unidos.
La Nueva Familia Michoacana controls the Port of Lázaro Cárdenas, a key hub for chemical precursor trafficking, and is responsible for smuggling fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin into the U.S. Cárteles Unidos has been linked to escalating violence in Michoacán due to conflicts with the CJNG and Los Viagras. The group was also implicated in a 2019 attack on two U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors in Ziracuaretiro.
Gulf Cartel Divided into Factions
The Gulf Cartel remains active in Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, and Mexico City, with additional cells in Tabasco and Jalisco. However, U.S. authorities note that the cartel is no longer unified, having split into two factions: Metros and Escorpiones.
The DEA’s findings underscore the pervasive influence of these cartels across Mexico, with Quintana Roo emerging as a key operational zone for the CJNG and Sinaloa Cartel. The report highlights the ongoing challenges for both Mexican and U.S. authorities in combating transnational organized crime.
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