Drugs, Inc. - Cartel City, Arizona - National Geographic

Phoenix, Ariz., is the wholesale drug capital of America, under the control of one of Mexico's most powerful and ruthless drug organizations ' the Sinaloa Cartel. Almost 200 miles north of the Mexican border, the city has become the major stopping off point for the large-scale distribution and transshipment of marijuana, heroin and methamphetamine up from Mexico and out to the rest of the country.

Phoenix, Arizona is one of the extensive drug centers of America, and now it's under jurisdiction of one of Mexico's most dominant and brutal drug syndicates, the Sinaloa Cartel. With a formidable authority south of the border, the cartel uses Phoenix as a starting point for their North American activities.

Lying 300 kilometers north of the Mexican border, Phoenix has become the focal point for the wholesale dissemination and transportation of marijuana, heroin and methamphetamine to the rest of the country. And for the drug dealers and providers who operate on the streets of Phoenix, this means a lot of money.

It's Friday afternoon and, in a low-cost lodge, meth dealer Frankie is preparing for work. For $800 Frankie has 56 grams of meth which he needs to crack into small batches that he can trade on the streets of Phoenix.

To get his goods at bulk cost, Frankie must cooperate with the cartel foot troopers, who deal straight onto the streets. But Frankie is aware that there'll be some severe consequences if he's unable to compensate his Mexican suppliers on schedule.

Selvin was born and grew up in Phoenix, but at a very young age concluded that his faithfulness was towards satisfying his masters in Mexico. As a foot trooper, Selvin acts as an arbitrator for Phoenix street dealers and cartel suppliers. Selvin has ambitions to climb fast in the cartel hierarchy regardless the cost. The existence of Selvin, and others with aspirations like his, means there's a continuous flow of drugs onto the streets of Phoenix.

But for the big fish inside the Sinaloa Cartel, the real money is made by selling large amounts of the product to the rest of America. Juan was one of the first drug bosses to be appointed to Phoenix by the cartel. There are now over 100 bosses exactly like him who have been sent from Mexico to run Phoenix.