When cartels start to diversify

This episode of The Indicator from Planet Money discusses the evolving business of crime, focusing on how Mexican cartels are diversifying their operations beyond drugs into areas like wildlife trafficking, leading to "narco-degradation." The hosts, Adrian Ma and Wailin Wong, explain how cartels like Jalisco have adopted flexible strategies, expanding into various illicit activities and recruiting local gangs in Central America due to poverty and lack of formal job opportunities. This expansion has resulted in increased violence and significant environmental harm, including deforestation for money laundering through cattle ranches, unauthorized gold mining, logging, and the illegal exotic animal trade. The episode highlights the challenges of combating narco-degradation due to the historical separation of conservation and law enforcement efforts, and the lack of resources and specialized knowledge within government institutions.