Mexican Cartels Are Forming Alliances With Mafias In The Balkans, Expanding Their Reach To Europe

Some Mexican cartels are escalating their operations in Europe and are no longer just exporting drugs there, according to a new report.

Infobae detailed that the Jalisco and Sinaloa cartels have set up labs to manufacture drugs, especially methamphetamine, and are also training "cooks" to work in them.

Such facilities have been discovered in countries like France, Belgium, Spain, Poland and the Netherlands.

The report, which cites the BBC, notes that cartels have sent their own "cooks" to train locals, and have also sealed alliances with mafias in the Balkans to cement their presence in the continent. These groups take the drugs produced by the cartels, later distributing them and laundering the money. They also provide territorial protection.

A case illustrating the extent of cartels' presence in Europe took place in 2024, when authorities dismantled a lab in Marseille, France. Such episodes have become more frequent, the report added, and is a result of the growing demand for synthetic drugs in the continent.

Polish authorities have also dismantled labs, with agents confirming the detention of Mexican people involved in their operation.

Drug-traffikcing expert Ludmila Quiros told the outlet that the participation of Mexican cartels in the European ecosystem is still small and that most of the market is dominated by cocaine. However, she noted that the groups represent a growing threat.