Colombian Cartel

The Colombian Cartel (aka the "Cartel" in Grand Theft Auto Advance) is a Hispanic shadowy organization and the main group of antagonists in GTA III. They are exceptionally well armed, and are led by Catalina and Miguel to produce and supply the drug SPANK in Liberty City. It is suggested by Liberty City police records that the Colombian Cartel may be using local airport and harbor freight as a front to smuggle the SPANK drug into Liberty City, although they have yet to thoroughly prove this. After Claude's feud with the Triads ceases, he faces the Columbian Cartel as a new and worse enemy for the rest of the game.

While listening to the DJ on Rise FM in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories he mentions having tried a new drug on the street called "SPANK". This means that SPANK was at least in production in 1998. Miguel was leading this cartel during this period as well; Catalina did not join the organization until 2001, when she shot her boyfriend Claude and took off with money the pair had just robbed from a bank. There are hints during various cutscenes in GTA III that she and Miguel are lovers and she has used the money from the robbery to heighten her standing in the Cartel. Miguel is later linked to the assassination of Yakuza leader Kenji Kasen, although he actually had nothing to do with it (real estate mogul Donald Love ordered Claude to make it look like the Cartel's doing to spark a gang war and drive real estate prices down). He is later tied up in the incomplete skyscraper in Fort Staunton by Kenji's sister Asuka and tortured non-stop for days on end until he is killed by the Cartel when they kidnap Maria and kill Asuka. Catalina assumes command of the Cartel herself. After killing Asuka and trying to escape in a helicopter, her vehicle is shot down by Claude as revenge for shooting him in the opening.

It is apparent that the Cartel is linked to Panlantic Construction, a company serving as both a legitimate construction company and a front for illegal operations. In Liberty City Stories, Cartel members were hired by Panlantic as bodyguards for Avery Carrington, who was working for Panlantic and arrived in Liberty City to acquire real estate for development. After Avery was killed by Toni Cipriani, Donald Love took over negotiations with Panlantic to seal the deal on developing Fort Staunton, which would be later destroyed by bombs planted by Cipriani. In GTA III, the construction site in Fort Staunton would serve as turf for the Cartel before it was seized by the Yakuza.

In Grand Theft Auto Advance, the gang was initially allied to Advance protagonist Mike, but would later turn against him after suspecting Mike of killing then Cartel leader Cisco (which is revealed to have been the work of Vinnie). He was succeeded by an un-named general, who was succeeded by Miguel. At one point in Advance, Cisco centered his gang operations at Francis International, Liberty City's airport.

Cartel members wear Hawaiian shirts, combat pants, hats resembling Akubras and boots in GTA III. In GTA:LCS, the same members wear red or blue shirts with brown vests, pairs of pants and jewelry.