Drugs, Guns, and Cacti?

Imagine if Walt and Jesse dealt with smuggling cacti across the Mexican/US border instead of meth. I am sure they would still botch everything up with their rookie antics, get a few cactus needles stuck in their legs along the way, and suspense and hilarity would ensue. However, this is a real and growing problem in Mexico. Smuggling cactus plants is the third biggest racket, behind drugs and guns. The demand for cacti is on the rise as more and more gardeners are opting for a "zero scape" garden or one that requires very little water. To meet this demand, people are taking cacti from Mexico's natural desert landscape instead of cultivating them legally. The WWF has reported some rare species being trafficked out of Mexico to buyers willing to pay $10,000 for a single plant. Lax law enforcement has allowed this racket to become very profitable with very little consequence. Salvador Arias, a cacti expert at Mexico's National Autonomous University says, "You can tell the smuggled plants. They tend to be more damaged and come without that perfect look you find in garden centres. It is sad that Mexico's floral heritage is being squandered for money. Once these plants are gone, they're gone."

Recent efforts to curtail illegal cacti harvesting include outfitting some of the most wanted species with tracking devices. The chips will allow officials to easily sweep nurseries and landscape centers. When purchasing large cacti at nurseries or garden centers, please ask how they were cultivated and where they come from. For more information check out this and this.