Mexico's process of criminal fragmentation has been a slow burn. Many of the country's mightiest criminal groups have been unable to stay united due to internal strife, incursions from rivals or the arrests and killings of key leaders.

But while some powerhouses like the Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco Cartel New Generation (Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación - CJNG) remain intact, smaller, hyper-violent and localized groups have become real national security threats. Many are splinters of old cartel structures, maintaining previous allegiances, while others were once dedicated oil thieves or drug transporters who gradually leveled up.

What's left is a volatile landscape where these groups can have an outsized influence. Below, InSight Crime profiles the most important newer criminal actors in Mexico.

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