The rise of cartels in Mexico has been the result of a number of factors, including anti-drug efforts by law enforcement around the world, the structure of the Mexican government, and the adaptive nature of the cartels and their leaders.  In this Episode, we use the "Organized Crime and Violence Special Report 2021" from the University of San Diego's Department of Political Science and International Relations to examine those factors, particularly in light of recent anti-cartel efforts on both sides of the border.