The Colombian drug gangs were in firefights with the military, including US special forces. Going up against the government is a good way to be wiped out. The smart thing to do is not to openly and brazenly kill government officials. The Triads and Yakuza have lasted centuries because of that. The Sicilian Mafia started killing judges and the backlash was harsh. They haven't killed any judges since. The Mexican cartels will be wiped out just like the Colombians if they keep this up.
^ This.
Trying to take the state head on is a sign a given OC group is getting desperate. The Mexican cartels started fighting the government and each other when the crackdown began in 2006 and they found themselves and their smuggling routes being squeezed.
Escobar and the Medellin cartel tried the same thing back in the 1980's and early 1990s. But the Cali cartel was smarter and more sophisticated and saw the futility of it.
