Organizational Structure and Profit Disparities the drug cartels and other criminal organizations are secretive and hierarchical, which explains the significant profit gaps in the drug trade. The people in charge of these organizations, known as kingpins, keep most of the profits because they have complete control over the networks for production, distribution, and security. Since they are insulated from the immediate risks involved in drug trafficking, kingpins are able to amass enormous wealth, while those at the bottom of the chain are primarily responsible for the risks and receive meager wages