How Powerful are Mexico's Cartels, Really?

In the harsh Mexican badlands, the cartels rule all. Decades into an asymmetric war against each other and the nation's government, Mexico's sprawling criminal syndicates show no sign of collapse anytime soon.

They preside over an illicit industry that's worth billions every year, exerting unilateral control over territory, local governments, and the people unlucky enough to live in their path.

The idea that Mexico's cartels are powerful, that's not up for debate. But the question of just how powerful they've become, that's another matter entirely. How formidable are their fighting forces when they're sent into the fray against Mexican state security?