TikTok Has Become the Main Platform Cartels Use to Recruit Teenagers in Mexico, Report Finds

Drug trafficking cartels have turned social media into one of their preferred platforms for both forced and voluntary recruitment, according to a new report.

As previously noted by The Latin Times, Mexican drug cartels prey on vulnerable teenagers through the virtual world, luring them with fake job offers and promises of joining groups that could improve their quality of life.

In this context, a recent investigation by Animal Político identified TikTok as the preferred app for criminal groups to recruit young people.

Researchers from the Seminar on Violence and Peace reported in its 2025 New Frontiers for Digital Recruitment study that, out of 100 accounts investigated that were linked to criminal groups, 55% were associated with the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), led by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as "El Mencho."

The report noted that just 5.4% of the remaining accounts referenced the Sinaloa Cartel, and another 5.4% were tied to the Noreste Cartel, the next two most mentioned groups on TikTok for recruitment purposes.

According to data from Mexico's Ministry of the Interior, as of Dec. 2, nearly 7,000 minors and young people up to 29 years old have disappeared in less than a year, and another 505 individuals have been found dead.

Despite the alarming numbers, Juan Martín Pérez, coordinator of Tejiendo Redes Infancia, a nonprofit focused on protecting children, told Animal Político that it is impossible to determine exactly how many of these disappearances are connected to forced, deceptive, or voluntary recruitment, as the crime is not officially classified in Mexico.

Alejandra Arias, researcher and collaborator with the Seminar on Violence and Peace, told Animal Político that cartels primarily use TikTok for two purposes: recruiting minors with fake job offers and spreading propaganda.

"They post videos of clashes and tactical operations. They show men and women with weapons, bulletproof vests bearing cartel insignias, and convoys of pickup trucks moving in open fields. These videos are purely for propaganda purposes," Arias said.

According to Arias, TikTok videos allow cartels to showcase the "criminal lifestyle" and entice young people by highlighting the perceived perks of organized crime, including money and power.

Arias also noted that criminal organizations prefer TikTok over other social media apps because of its low levels of moderation. Groups like the Jalisco Cartel exploit loopholes, posting job offers in the comments section rather than in video captions or the videos themselves.

Cartels also use symbols, hashtags, and emojis to bypass platform rules. By employing certain emojis, numeric codes, songs referencing drug traffickers, and other coded language, they can operate with minimal digital traces, making it difficult for authorities to track them.

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok, along with encrypted messaging apps like Telegram and WhatsApp, are also used to show off wealth, cars, and weapons, as well as to intimidate rival criminal groups by publicizing crimes and issuing threats.

Animal Político noted that TikTok's rapid growth has further aided cartel recruitment. According to Statista and the 2024 Digital Report, 70% of young people between 16 and 24 use the app.

"TikTok is one of the favorite digital platforms for children and adolescents, exposing them to an algorithm with minimal moderation, which is concerning because it makes them more vulnerable to organized crime," said Rivas.

Carlos Ramírez Castañeda, a cybersecurity expert, told Animal Político that he has observed many cases in border cities.

"On this platform, there is a sharp increase in ads promoting fake jobs and easy work," Ramírez Castañeda said. "I've noticed it particularly in border areas like Tijuana and Ciudad Juárez, where reels show money and weapons with messages like: 'I need brave, bold people. Message me directly if you want to change your life.'"