Cartel leaders are responding to intense government crackdowns spurred by U.S. pressure to curb fentanyl supply. Many are going into hiding, while some production has halted altogether, and labs have been relocated. A high-ranking operative expressed constant fear of capture, highlighting the risky environment faced by cartels following a recent surge in arrests and seizures. The dynamic within Sinaloa, traditionally a stronghold for drug production, is changing as authorities intensify efforts to combat organized crime, particularly in the wake of threats from the Trump administration regarding tariffs and national security demands.
Cartel operatives say they've had to move labs to other areas of the country or temporarily shut down production. You can't be calm, you can't even sleep.
The most important thing now is to survive, he added, his hands trembling.
The government crackdown on organized crime intensified after the Trump administration threatened retribution unless Mexico halted the supply of fentanyl into the United States.
Two young men who produce fentanyl for the cartel say they have shut down all their drug labs, indicating a shift in cartel operations.
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