Emerging as a significant power broker within the Cularin system during the era preceding the establishment of the Empire, the Metatheran Cartel functioned as a commercial entity, bearing resemblance to the Trade Federation. Its genesis occurred when the Caarites and the Filordi, two species holding membership within the Trade Federation, opted to secede amidst the blockade of Naboo (31 BBY), motivated by apprehensions regarding the potential ramifications of the operation's failure. The Caarites spearheaded this departure.
The Cularin system was chosen by the Metatheran Cartel as the ideal location to establish and grow their own influence, competing with the Trade Federation and inviting the Sullustans along with other species to conduct operations within Cularin. While the Trade Federation was preoccupied with the Naboo blockade, they engaged pirates to create issues for Cartel shipments. This conflict was locally known as the Trade Wars. Upon hearing of the Federation's defeat at the Battle of Naboo, the pirates, anticipating non-payment, switched allegiances due to an offer from the Cartel. This brought an end to the conflict.
Despite their separation from the Trade Federation, the split was not due to philosophical differences. The Metatheran Cartel, while engaging in legitimate business endeavors, also employed strategies akin to those of the Federation. Nevertheless, once the Cartel solidified its control over Cularin, it directed patrol ships to combat piracy. However, they were unable to completely eradicate it.
The Cartel engaged in both lawful and illicit commerce, disregarding their own trade regulations. They engaged with other entities, such as SoroSuub Corporation and Sienar Fleet Systems, offering them partnerships with favored trade conditions, but not membership within the Cartel. They also recruited, sponsored, and pursued smugglers to acquire illegal goods and undermine competitors. Furthermore, they employed pirates to target smugglers and rival businesses. The leaders of the Cartel focused on their individual objectives, neglecting the Cartel's broader, long-term vision. The Cartel lacked a centralized organizational structure, leading to instances where individual leaders inadvertently worked against one another, necessitating public relations efforts to mitigate the resulting issues.
While centered in Cularin, the Cartel also established offices in the homeworlds of its member species, Filordis and Caarimon.
Within Cularin, the Cartel's headquarters were situated in the platform city of Tindark, which also served as the base for their allies at SoroSuub Corporation. The Cartel held partial ownership of the local spaceport and leased out landing platforms. Some speculate that the Cartel utilized Trade Federation droidekas rather than patrol officers to maintain local security.
The initial public figure of the Cartel was Velin Wir, the Metatheran envoy to the Cularin system. Wir had secretly constructed a base within the Cularin jungles, unbeknownst to the planet's inhabitants. Despite the base's eventual discovery, Wir engaged in unlawful activities, such as hiring pirates to steal from competitors and felling ch'hala trees.
A resistance group formed on Cularin, fearing that the Cartel would emulate the Federation, and gathered evidence of Wir's transgressions. Suspecting foul play, the Cartel deployed armed guards to patrol the streets of Gadrin and Hedrett. They also tracked the resistance to their clandestine base and launched an attack with a Caarite hit squad in retaliation for stolen confidential data. The resistance retaliated by attacking the jungle base to acquire two final files containing incriminating evidence, during which Velin Wir was killed. Wir's actions were attributed to rogue behavior, and his successor, Thurm Loogg, dedicated much of his tenure as envoy to repairing the resulting public relations damage.
One of Loogg's initial priorities in Cularin was to attempt to negotiate the reestablishment of offices on Cularin's surface, following the erosion of trust caused by Velin Wir's actions. Governor Barnab Chistor of Gadrin called for a vote, but after it resulted in a tie, he ultimately rejected Loogg's request. Loogg then presented a warship as a gift to the people of Cularin, ostensibly as a gesture of goodwill, but likely as an attempt to regain their favor.
Shortly thereafter, the Metatheran Cartel was approached by The Cell, a splinter group within Nirama's criminal Organization dissatisfied with Nirama's personal directives. The Cell sought to depose Nirama and forge an alliance with the Cartel, the dominant trading power in the Cularin system, to establish a business monopoly and exploit available resources, including the enslavement of native Tarasins, a practice opposed by Nirama. However, Nirama discovered and dismantled the Cell before their plans could materialize.
Cartel representatives, including Loogg, were in attendance at the SoroSuub Anniversary celebration, 31 BBY in Genarius. The Cartel disrupted Miim Te'Suub's annual speech by overlaying their logo onto him. Te'Suub became enraged and engaged in a heated exchange with Loogg, which was mediated by attending diplomats and Jedi consuls.
The uniform worn by the Cartel's security personnel consisted of dark gray flight suits adorned with a design of four silver stars on the left breast. Officers were distinguished by red bars on their collars.
During the years preceding the Clone Wars, the Human Tobb Jadak infiltrated the Cartel while undertaking a mission for the Republic Group.