The End of (Illegal) Marijuana: What It Means for Criminal Dynamics in Mexico

[Judi Lynn]

MARIJUANA
/ 6 DEC 2022

Marijuana has long been one of the most profitable illicit crops in various parts of rural Mexico, and one of the most important revenue generators for Mexican drug trafficking organizations. It is intimately linked to the origins of these criminal groups, who became the leading suppliers of a lucrative marijuana market in the United States. The trade also became a focal point of an often-tense bilateral relationship between the United States and Mexico.

That era appears to be over. Today, most of the marijuana consumed in the United States is produced domestically, largely due to ongoing legalization and decriminalization efforts in several states. These shifts have changed the game in the international drug market, particularly in the Western Hemisphere. They struck at the core of some of the region’s most notorious organized crime groups and gouged Mexican marijuana prices. Beyond those economic issues, the changes may have permanently altered the once-symbiotic relationship between the criminal groups and their long-time social base.

At the same time, marijuana has become far less of a priority for law enforcement on both sides of the border. Today, authorities are increasingly focused on the trafficking of synthetic drugs, which are rapidly replacing plant-based drugs. Marijuana seizures in Mexico and at the US-Mexico border have steadily declined over the past decade, and the Mexican army is eradicating fewer marijuana plantations every year.

This report aims to analyze what this means on the ground for Mexican organized crime groups and illustrate how they have adapted to these changes. It paints a picture of how criminal governance and the relationship with traditional farming communities has evolved and highlights strategies that large drug trafficking organizations may use to address the market shifts.

More:
https://insightcrime.org/investigations/executive-summary-major-findings/