Foondit | 1999 (independent cartel syne Februar 2010) |
---|---|
Foondin location | Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico |
Years active | 1999−present |
Territory | Mexico: Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Chiapas, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Zacatecas, Durango, Chihuahua, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Guanajuato, Aguascalientes, State o Mexico, Michoacán Unitit States: Texas, Californie, New Jersey, Detroit, Colorado, Illinois Central Americae: Guatemala Europe: Italy |
Creeminal activities | Drog trokin, fowk smugglin, kidnappin, racketeerin, murther, airms trokin, terrorism, extortion, assault, rape[1] |
Allies | Beltrán-Leyva Cairtel, Juárez Cairtel, Tijuana Cairtel, 'Ndrangheta.[2][3][4][5] |
Rivals | Guwf Cairtel, Sinaloa Cairtel, La Familia Michoacana, Knichts Templar Cairtel |
Los Zetas (Zetas, Zs) is a pouerful an violent creeminal syndicate in Mexico, an is considered bi the U.S. govrenment tae be the "maist technologically advancit, sophisticatit, an dangerous cartel operatin in Mexico."[6][7] The oreegins o Los Zetas date back tae 1999, when commandos o the Mexican Airmy's elite forces desertit thair ranks an decidit tae wirk as the airmit wing o the Guwf Cairtel, a pouerful drog trokin organisation.[8] In Februar 2010, Los Zetas brak awa frae thair umwhile employer an formit thair awn creeminal organisation.[9][10]
Due tae thair militar backgrund, Los Zetas are well airmit, heichlie organizit an equippit;[8] thair brutal tactics, which include beheidins, tortur an indiscriminate slauchter, show that thay aften prefer brutality ower bribery.[8] Los Zetas are Mexico's lairgest drog cartel in terms o geographical presence an aw, owertakkin its bitter rival, the Sinaloa Cairtel.[11] Besides drog trokin, Los Zetas operate throu protection rackets, assassinations, extortion, kidnappins, an ither creeminal activities.[12] The organisation is based in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, directly athort the mairch frae Laredo, Texas.[13][14]