The criminal syndicate known as the Spice Cartel held dominion over the spice trade, operating from the depths of Coruscant's underworld. Coruscant served as the capital planet of the Galactic Republic. The Pyke Syndicate was the primary group within the cartel, managing the production of all illicit raw spice mined from the spice mines of Kessel. In the months leading up to the Invasion of Naboo in 32 BBY, the Pykes' extensive network of alliances and deceptive practices had granted them near-total control over the raw spice supply used in the creation of a potent drug. This situation sparked a crisis within the Spice Cartel, threatening to disrupt the stability of Coruscant's underworld. To prevent a large conflict in the galactic capital's underbelly, Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum dispatched Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas, a specialist in criminal matters, to resolve the issue through negotiations with the Pyke Syndicate.
The initial reference to the Spice Cartel occurred in "The Lost One," the tenth episode from Star Wars: The Clone Wars' sixth season. This episode was first broadcast in Germany on March 1, 2014.