Cartel Progression — Complete guide to cartel levels, perks, debt limits, and emblem customization in Drug Dealer Simulator 2.
Data sourced from game files. Level names, perk descriptions, and values may change with future updates.
🛡️ Cartel Levels (5 levels)
There are 5 confirmed cartel levels. Each level requires Cartel XP to unlock and increases your maximum debt limit with the cartel. Progress is tracked via the cartel XP bar on your minimap.
Cartel XP progress bar on the minimap
| Level | XP Required | Cumulative XP | Debt Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 |
0 (Starting) | 0 | $50,000 |
 Level 2 |
10,000 | 10,000 | $60,000 |
 Level 3 |
13,000 | 23,000 | $70,000 |
 Level 4 |
13,000 | 36,000 | $80,000 |
 Level 5 (MAX) |
25,000 | 61,000 | $150,000 |
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Tier 4
Tier 5- You start at Level 1 with a $50,000 debt limit and no XP required.
- Levels 2 through 4 require 10,000 – 13,000 XP each and add +$10,000 debt per level.
- The final level (Level 5) requires 25,000 XP and the debt limit nearly doubles to $150,000.
- Total XP needed to reach max level: 61,000 Cartel XP.
⚔️ Cartel Perks (8 perks)
There are 8 cartel perks spread across 4 categories. Each perk has a minimum cartel level requirement and costs perk points to unlock. Choose wisely — points are limited.
| Perk | Category | Min Level | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Perk 1 | 🔫 CRIME | Level 2 |
0 (Free) | Combat-related — unlocks at Level 2 for free |
| Business Perk 1 | 💰 BUSINESS | Level 3 |
2 pts | Earnings boost (value: $500,000 threshold) |
| Business Perk 2 | 💰 BUSINESS | Level 3 |
2 pts | Earnings boost (value: $500,000 threshold) |
| Respect Perk 1 | ⭐ RESPECT | Level 4 |
3 pts | Reputation gain boost (value: 500) |
| Crime Perk 2 | 🔫 CRIME | Level 5 |
1 pt | Advanced combat perk (value: 2) |
| Respect Perk 2 | ⭐ RESPECT | Level 5 |
4 pts | Advanced reputation boost (value: 1,000) |
| Rank Perk 1 | 👑 RANK | Level 5 |
5 pts | Guard/bodyguard improvement (value: 5) |
| Rank Perk 2 | 👑 RANK | Level 6+ (unreleased) | 6 pts | Dealer improvement (value: 8) |
Perk Categories
| Category | Focus | Perks |
|---|---|---|
| 🔫 CRIME | Combat & intimidation abilities | 2 |
| 💰 BUSINESS | Money earning & sales bonuses | 2 |
| ⭐ RESPECT | Reputation gains with clients | 2 |
| 👑 RANK | Guards & dealer effectiveness | 2 |
- Crime Perk 1 is free at Level 2 — always grab it first.
- At Level 3, you need 4 points total for both Business perks.
- Most expensive perks: Rank 1 and Rank 2 cost 5 and 6 points respectively, and require Level 5+.
- Total perk points needed to unlock all perks: 23 points.
- Rank Perk 2 references Level 6+ which does not currently exist — it may be reserved for a future update.
🎨 Cartel Emblems (13 emblems)
Customize your cartel's identity with one of 13 unique emblems. These are purely cosmetic and can be selected when creating or editing your cartel.
Punk Skull
Crown
Fish
Llama
Cute Skull
Snake
Bear
Lynx
DDS Skull
Cupcake
Dragon
Weed
Bulldog
Data extracted from Drug Dealer Simulator 2 game files. Cartel system is in Early Access and subject to change. Values, perk names, and level requirements may be updated in future patches. Placeholder and incomplete entries have been excluded.