China’s Vape Offensive and the Mexican Cartel Pipeline: A Growing Threat to US Security

Workers make pods for e-cigarettes at a factory in Shenzhen, China, on Sept. 24, 2019. Kevin Frayer via Getty Images

Commentary

In Mexico, the cartels have found their perfect staging ground to capitalize on a low-risk, high-profit cash crop. Lax enforcement against illicit tobacco has created vast gray zones where cartels operate openly, stockpiling illicit goods, laundering profits, and planning cross-border smuggling with little fear of government intrusion.