It's considered the most powerful criminal organization in the Americas, if not the world. But now the brutal Sinaloa cartel is preparing to go legit—and make millions of dollars through front organizations in Mexico's new legal pot industry.

Cartel operatives told The Daily Beast they hope to transit from the illegal market to the multi-million-dollar legal weed market as soon as Mexico passes reform to legalize marijuana for adult use. Proponents of the drug reforms had hoped legalizing sale of the narcotics would take the profits out of the hands of killers and criminals, but members of the Sinaloa cartel are already working on infiltrating the legal market.

The result could be even greater profits for the gangland bosses—to spend on weapons, buying off politicians and growing their criminal empire. For legitimate businesses preparing for legalization of marijuana, which is expected to pass later this year, there is now the alarming prospect of competing with the cartels.