The Gulf Cartel, the New Generation Jalisco Cartel (CJNG for its Spanish acronym), the Sinaloa Cartel, and a smaller organization known as Grupo Regional, a cartel formed of former Zetas cartel members and neighborhood street gangs, have all been identified by authorities as operating in the greater Cancun area as ...

As of early 2026, Cancun remains a highly contested territory rather than being ruled by a single, undisputed cartel. Historically a stronghold for the Sinaloa Cartel, the region has seen a significant and violent incursion by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Following the high-profile killing of CJNG leader "El Mencho" in February 2026, security analysts have noted a period of intense fragmentation and retaliatory violence as local factions like the "Zetas Vieja Escuela" and smaller "independent" cells vie for control over the lucrative drug trade and extortion rackets in the Riviera Maya. While the Mexican military and National Guard maintain a heavy presence in the Hotel Zone to protect the tourism industry, the "plaza" (territory) is effectively split, with different groups controlling different logistical routes and neighborhoods, leading to sporadic clashes that occasionally spill into public spaces.