The Gulf Cartel, or Cártel del Golfo (CDG), is one of Mexico’s oldest and most notorious criminal organizations, with roots tracing back to the 1930s. Based in Tamaulipas, particularly in the border city of Matamoros, the cartel has played a significant role in shaping the landscape of organized crime in Mexico and beyond. From its origins in bootlegging to its current involvement in drug trafficking, human smuggling, and illegal fishing, the Gulf Cartel has demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt and survive despite internal strife, law enforcement crackdowns, and rivalries. This blog explores the cartel’s history, operations, and ongoing influence, shedding light on its complex and often brutal legacy.
The Gulf Cartel began as a bootlegging operation during the U.S. Prohibition era, smuggling alcohol across the U.S.-Mexico border. 
By the 1970s, it had pivoted to drug trafficking, initially focusing on marijuana and heroin. Under the leadership of Juan García Ábrego in the 1980s, the cartel expanded significantly by forging alliances with Colombia’s Cali Cartel, taking on the risky but lucrative task of smuggling cocaine into the United States. This partnership propelled the cartel into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, with García Ábrego reportedly earning billions annually by the time of his arrest in 1996.
The cartel’s modern era was defined by Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, who took control in 1997. Known as “El Mata Amigos” (The Friend Killer), Cárdenas was a ruthless leader who transformed the cartel’s operations. 
In 1997, he created the Zetas, a paramilitary enforcer group composed of former Mexican special forces operatives, to protect the cartel’s interests and expand its territory. The Zetas brought a new level of violence to Mexico’s drug trade, employing military tactics and gruesome methods like beheadings and torture. However, Cárdenas’ arrest in 2003 and extradition to the U.S. in 2007 marked a turning point, as the Zetas broke away in 2010, sparking a bloody war with their former employers.
The Gulf Cartel’s stronghold in Tamaulipas, particularly in border cities like Matamoros and Reynosa, gives it strategic control over key drug trafficking routes into the United States. 
The cartel primarily smuggles cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana, generating millions in profits. For example, between 2016 and 2019, authorities seized over 150 kilograms of cocaine and $1.5 million in proceeds linked to Gulf Cartel operative Salvador Cortez-Nava. The cartel uses sophisticated methods, such as vehicles with hidden compartments, to move drugs across the border.
Beyond drugs, the Gulf Cartel has diversified its portfolio. Human smuggling has become a major revenue stream, with the cartel exploiting vulnerable migrants in Matamoros and Reynosa. Migrants are often kidnapped, extorted, or forced into criminal activities like drug trafficking or assassinations. The cartel also engages in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, particularly of red snapper and endangered shark species, in the Gulf of Mexico. Operating from Playa Bagdad, the cartel uses small boats to evade U.S. Coast Guard surveillance, fraudulently exporting fish to the U.S. for high profits. These activities not only fund the cartel but also harm marine ecosystems.
The cartel’s operations are supported by corruption and violence. It has infiltrated law enforcement and government institutions, using bribes and intimidation to protect its activities. Leaders like Rafael Cárdenas-Vela have admitted to paying off Mexican authorities to ensure safe passage of drugs. The cartel’s factions, such as the Metros, Rojos, and Scorpions, also maintain control through brutal tactics, including kidnappings and murders.
The Gulf Cartel’s power has been eroded by internal divisions and external pressures. After Cárdenas’ arrest, leadership passed to figures like Jorge Costilla-Sánchez (2003–2012) and Jose Alfredo Cardenas-Martinez, but the cartel splintered into rival factions, including the Metros, Cyclones, and Scorpions. These groups have fought for control of lucrative territories, leading to violent clashes in Tamaulipas and neighboring states. For instance, a 2010 conflict between the Metros and Rojos factions resulted in the killing of Samuel Flores Borrego, highlighting the cartel’s internal dysfunction.
The split with the Zetas in 2010 was particularly devastating, spreading violence across Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, and Veracruz. The conflict even spilled into the U.S., with the Gulf Cartel linked to the killing of two Zeta members in Brownsville, Texas, in 2010. Despite these setbacks, the cartel remains a formidable force, with deep-rooted connections and adaptability.
The Gulf Cartel has faced significant pressure from U.S. and Mexican authorities. High-profile arrests, such as those of Cárdenas Guillén, Costilla-Sánchez, and Rafael Cárdenas-Vela, have disrupted its leadership. In 2021, Jose Alfredo Cardenas-Martinez (“El Contador”) was indicted in the U.S. for trafficking methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. Recent extraditions of figures like Evaristo Cruz-Sanchez and Jose Alberto Garcia-Vilano in February 2025 underscore ongoing efforts to dismantle the cartel.
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has also targeted the cartel’s financial networks. In November 2024, OFAC sanctioned five individuals, including plaza bosses Ismael and Omar Guerra Salinas, for their roles in IUU fishing, drug trafficking, and human smuggling. These sanctions freeze assets and block access to international banking systems, aiming to cripple the cartel’s operations.
Despite its fragmentation, the Gulf Cartel remains a significant threat, described by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as “public enemy number one” on the U.S.-Mexico border. Its control over key border cities and maritime routes ensures its continued influence. The cartel’s activities have fueled violence in Tamaulipas, making it one of Mexico’s most dangerous states. The 2023 kidnapping and murder of American citizens in Matamoros, for which the cartel’s Scorpions faction issued a rare apology, highlighted its ongoing impact on both sides of the border.
The Gulf Cartel’s legacy is one of resilience and brutality. Its ability to adapt—from bootlegging to drug trafficking to illegal fishing—demonstrates its staying power. However, its internal divisions and relentless law enforcement pressure suggest a precarious future. For travelers and locals in Tamaulipas, the cartel’s presence necessitates caution, as its influence permeates daily life through violence, corruption, and fear.