In the past ten years, a growing number of states have legalized marijuana in some form.

The domestic production and booming sales are biting into the Mexican cartels’ share of the market in the US.

Additionally, Mexico is headed towards their own legalization – and the Sinaloa Cartel sees an opportunity there.

Although the Cartel, once led by infamous drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, has turned to other illegal opportunities (such as illegal logging, extortion and monopolizing water) they still have hope that they can retake the weed business.

As a result, they want to corner the legal market once it kicks off in Mexico.

A Sinaloa Cartel operative working as a regional manager for marijuana operations told Business Insider, “This is a business that belongs here, to Sinaloa. We lost a share of the business, but in no time we will take it back by producing the best weed in the world.”