system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why do Mexican drug cartels display violence and ruthlessness far greater than other criminal organizations?
gpt
Control of resources and cash flow. They want anyone that would like to enter the drug smuggling business to be too terrified to attempt to cut into their market because it would weaken their monopoly. They want the mexican military to fear them, and the mexican police to fear them. If enough people are terrified to a sufficient degree, then its not likely any sizable force will have the courage to take the neccessary steps to defeat them.

In short, its all about greed and preservation of power already acquired. Fear of them is what deters people from taking action against them, violence is simply a means to inspire the level of fear they need to maintain their empire. Its a tactic that has been used against populations for centuries.