When cartels start to diversify

The Sinaloa Cartel made the bulk of its money on cocaine. But cartels are diversifying into new operations including things like wildlife trafficking. Think sharks, jaguars, capybaras. The result is something called “narco-degradation.” On today’s show, we look at what’s driving cartels beyond drugs and how this is wreaking havoc on ecosystems in Central America. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Related episodes: </strong><br /><a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/04/01/1197963517/dupont-chemours-chemicals-cows" target="_blank">Can breaking the law be good for business?</a> <br /><a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/912150085/waste-land" target="_blank">Waste Land</a> <br /><a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2011/10/25/141701559/the-tuesday-podcast-will-economic-growth-destroy-the-planet" target="_blank">Will Economic Growth Destroy the Planet?</a> <br /> <br /><em>For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at </em><a href="http://plus.npr.org/" target="_blank"><em>plus.npr.org</em></a><em>. Fact-checking by </em><a href="https://www.npr.org/people/g-s1-26724/sierra-juarez" target="_blank"><em>Sierra Juarez</em></a><em>. Music by </em><a href="https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank"><em>Drop Electric</em></a><em>. Find us: </em><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney" target="_blank"><em>TikTok</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/" target="_blank"><em>Instagram</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money" target="_blank"><em>Newsletter</em></a><em>.  </em><br /><br />See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>