Jalisco, other cartels using Narcotanks

Cartel & Mad Max Connection: Dimensions of armored vehicles show that the war between cartels has reached another level in Mexico.

Some of the most feared criminal groups in Mexico, including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, are using these vehicles in armed battles with the police. Other organizations, such as the Gulf Cartel and the Northeast Cartel, use armored trucks to fight among themselves.

Mexican security forces refer to these vehicles as “monstruos” (monsters), but they are also known as rhinos and narcotanks. The cartels adorn the exteriors with their initials or the latest camouflage patterns, sometimes making them difficult to distinguish from official military vehicles.

The armored trucks are among the most visible and intimidating enhancements in the lethal arsenal available to Mexico’s most powerful cartels, according to security experts.

Recently, we published an article showing the reasons behind how a narco state functions at its core.