Mexico: Knights Templar has moved beyond drugs, illegal mining, logging, extortion

Diversification of Knights Templar cartel latest sign of drug syndicates’ expanding criminal portfolios. The pseudo-religious Knights Templar drug cartel in western Mexico has diversified to the point that drug trafficking doesn’t rank among its top sources of income, according to the Mexican government’s special envoy to Michoacán. The cartel counts illegal mining, logging and extortion as its biggest moneymakers, said Alfredo Castillo, who has been tasked with restoring the rule of law in the state. Read Article