Most people would switch to legal providers therefore drying up one of the money pipelines for cartels. Most of their power comes from their relatively large economic influence.

Large corporate interests could leverage legit logistical infrastructure and take over, plus large corporations are rich and connected enough to get the police to actually enforce the law for them against threats.

The cops who work for the cartel [1]?

[1] http://time.com/3490853/mexico-massacre-students-police-cart...

Edit: Downvoters, I would love to hear why I am wrong. I only know what I read about Mexican law enforcement, no personal experience dealing with them.

It wasn't the poor moonshiner's ability to finally squeal for daddy that pushed the mafia out of the liquor business... it was the fact that they could not compete in the market place. Sure they could have went on a rampage and wrecked a bunch of legit distilleries, but all the while they would be hemorrhaging cash. Killing people aint cheap.

Limes last year[1], corn next year?

[1] http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/mexican-drug-cartel-behind-incr...

What is to stop Facebook buying corn farms in the USA? Nothing except it's not what they know and not as profitable.