Cancún’s Dark Side: 9 Cartels Fueling Violence in Paradise

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Once a tropical paradise, Cancún has transformed into a violent epicenter of organized crime, with nine cartels vying for control as citizens and businesses struggle to survive amid extortion, executions, and impunity.

A City Under Siege

What began as a quiet fishing village in the 1970s became Mexico’s premier tourist destination. Yet no one foresaw that the "Jewel of the Caribbean" would eventually fall prey to rampant crime. Today, authorities confirm that nine criminal organizations operate in the city, leaving a trail of bloodshed—even in broad daylight—as they wage a brutal turf war.

Violence has become normalized, with daytime executions in public and tourist areas. Local merchants and business owners report being forced to pay protection money, while former police officers admit they have been overwhelmed by the escalating criminal activity.

The Rise of Cartel Dominance

The decline began in the 1990s when drug shipments from South America flooded the Riviera Maya, with retail sales proliferating in Cancún’s nightclubs. By the 2000s, the city’s nightlife hubs became hotspots for drug trafficking. Many bars have since shuttered due to extortion, while others stand in ruins.

A turning point came in 2004 with the massacre of 12 people, including three agents from the now-defunct Federal Investigation Agency (AFI). Since then, allegations of police collusion with cartels have circulated unchecked.

Escalating Violence and Impunity

Femicides, disappearances, and drug-related crimes have surged over the past decade. Victims are killed for refusing to pay ransoms, belonging to rival factions, or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Public spaces, including beaches, are now rife with drug dealers, while crumbling infrastructure—potholed streets, uncollected trash, and broken streetlights—further erodes the city’s appeal.

Tourists, once the lifeblood of Cancún, are increasingly deterred by travel warnings from their home countries. Meanwhile, political promises to curb crime during elections have yielded no tangible results.

A Decade of Bloodshed

From 2015 to March 2025, the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (SESNSP) recorded 686 investigations into organized crime-related offenses. Key incidents include:

• 2016: A prison break by 10 members of the "Los Sureños" gang sparked panic, with suspicions of collusion by prison staff. Five additional escapes have occurred since.
• 2017: A grenade attack on the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) and the C4 security complex left one officer dead and three gunmen killed. The assault marked the arrival of a new cartel.
• 2018: An average of two homicides per day were reported, with then-Attorney General Óscar Montes de Oca stating that 95% of crimes were linked to cartels, totaling 3,090 executions—including minors and bystanders.

Humanitarian Crisis

Families of the disappeared dig through makeshift graves with their hands, while others mourn loved ones lost to violence. Business owners, particularly those in bars and spas, have been frequent targets. In 2014, a bar fire killed five people, and in April 2015, the FGE arrested the alleged cartel leader responsible.

Gender-based violence has also surged. In July 2019, a woman and her two malnourished children—one found chained—were rescued from an abusive home. The perpetrator remains imprisoned. By March 2025, 4,153 domestic violence cases had been filed.

A particularly harrowing case occurred in March 2020, when a one-year-old girl was kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and murdered. The suspect was later apprehended.

Statistical Toll

• Femicides: 57 women killed in the past decade.
• Homicides: 2,716 recorded in 2024 alone, predominantly young women.
• Drug crimes: 4,945 investigations opened since 2015.

As Cancún grapples with its descent into lawlessness, residents and visitors alike are left to navigate a city where crime reigns unchecked, and hope for restoration grows increasingly dim.