The illegal market for cigarettes and vaping devices has emerged as one of the most active financing sources for organized crime in Mexico, according to a new report titled "Smoke, Vaping, and Power." The document exposes that at least seven major cartels are currently operating and expanding these illicit economies, capitalizing on the country's prohibition of vapes and a lack of effective regulation.
These criminal organizations reportedly import devices primarily from Asia, repackaging and distributing them through sophisticated digital networks that even recruit minors for their operations. The scale of the problem is significant: illegal tobacco now accounts for two out of every ten cigarettes consumed in Mexico, generating an estimated 20 billion pesos annually.
The report warns that this lucrative "petty cash" fund is being used to finance weaponry, logistics, and violent confrontations across 16 states. It calls for an urgent national strategy that includes rigorous product traceability, tighter customs controls, and a direct, frontal combat against these criminal networks to dismantle their economic power.
