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Mexican Cartel Stats
The number of homicides related to organized crime in Mexico has fluctuated in recent years but remains alarmingly high. In 2020, there were 28,328 organized-crime-related homicides, according to Statista. While the peak occurred in 2018 with 33,341 homicides, data from 2021 showed over 18,000 cartel conflict deaths, and the violence has remained persistent.

More recently, in February 2026, the killing of El Mencho, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), triggered a surge in violence, with over 70 people killed in the immediate aftermath. Despite some declines in cartel conflict deaths between 2021 and 2022, the overall homicide rate in Mexico remains high, with a national rate of 23.3 per 100,000 people in 2024, many of which are linked to organized crime.

The broader toll includes tens of thousands of deaths since the war on drugs began in 2006, with estimates suggesting over 463,000 homicides have occurred since then, though not all are directly attributable to cartels.

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Factsheet
Mexican drug war
Mexican army fighting drug cartels in MichoacánMap of cartels active in Mexico, as of September 2025
Strength
Total: 784,300
368,000 police officers