Drug cartels have become a pervasive and highly organized criminal force with a significant global reach. These powerful syndicates control large portions of the illegal drug trade, operating not only within their home countries but across continents. Their operations extend far beyond drug trafficking, often influencing global markets, politics, and even social structures. The history of drug cartels is intertwined with the rise of drug consumption worldwide, as their growth is directly linked to the increasing demand for illicit substances such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, and marijuana.

The origins of modern drug cartels can be traced back to the mid-20th century, when illicit drug trade routes first began to form. Latin America, with its extensive agricultural regions, became a focal point for the cultivation of drugs, particularly in countries like Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. These regions not only provided the raw materials needed for drug production but also became hubs for smuggling operations that reached the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world.

Cartels began to emerge as centralized organizations within these areas, with influential leaders at the helm. The most notorious of these early cartels, such as the Medellín and Cali cartels in Colombia, gained immense wealth and power. By the 1980s and 1990s, they had established networks that spanned the globe, trafficking drugs through elaborate and sophisticated systems of production, distribution, and money laundering.