Mica for cartelinsider.com
In the 80s, Mexico witnessed the rise of some of the most prominent criminal figures in the history of drug trafficking. Among them were Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada and Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán, the most representative figures of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Originally from two small and unknown towns in Sinaloa ―El Álamo and La Tuna, respectively―, ‘El Mayo’ and ‘El Chapo’ are currently two of the most well-known Mexican drug traffickers.
The first one, for continuing to lead the criminal organization at 76 years old without ever stepping foot in jail; the second one, for having staged two escapes from maximum security prisons and being the father of the leaders of the most powerful faction of the Sinaloa Cartel today: ‘Los Chapitos’.
Currently, the also known as the Pacific Cartel remains one of the most powerful and violent organizations at a national and international level, which is why authorities in the United States are seeking to bring their main leaders to justice.
In that line, the question arises: How did ‘El Mayo’ and ‘El Chapo’ manage to grow the Sinaloa Cartel so quickly?
According to journalist Anabel Hernandez, Zambada Garcia and Guzman Loera were already involved in the drug trafficking network in the 1980s, although they were not the most well-known.
At that time, the drug business in Mexico was led by Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo, Juan José Quintero Payán, Juan José Esparragoza Moreno and Pablo Acosta Villareal.
Behind were Amado Carrillo Fuentes, Rafael Caro Quintero, and Zambada García.
Below them were Hector Luis Palma Salazar, Guzman Loera, the Arellano Felix brothers, and the Beltran Leyva brothers, who, according to the Mexican journalist in her book ‘The Lords of Narco’, barely stood out as “small growers, drug traffickers and gunmen”.
The reports indicate that the last group – the youngest one – was characterized by being the most rebellious and careless. They continuously challenged the rules of the experts and enjoyed their gains without scruples. However, they also stood out for having some of the freshest and most innovative ideas.
For the authorities in the United States, the person responsible for renewing the narcotics business was ‘El Chapo”, who with the help of Palma Salazar -known as “El Güero” Palma- created new methods for distributing drugs.
For example, according to J. Jesús Lemus, some of the most innovative things were the use of food items, such as sugar donuts, watermelons, cans of chilies, pre-cooked vegetables, and powdered milk, as a facade to conceal drugs.
“The bosses even created a brand of juices to export drugs; it was called ‘Los Dos Amigos’, just like Guzmán and Palma were at the time,” the journalist highlighted in his book ‘The Damned 2: The Last Hell’.”
The investigations also point to ‘El Chapo’ and his partners as culprits, who later became leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, for giving life to the border tunnels. The first one was detected in Douglas, Arizona, in 1990.
By the year 2000, almost 10 years after the dissolution of the Guadalajara Cartel, the Sinaloa Cartel was already producing and distributing large amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and heroin in the United States and some European countries. Years later, they would also enter the fentanyl business.
“Guzmán Loera is currently incarcerated at ADX Florence, a maximum security prison in Colorado, United States.”
On his part, Zambada García remains hidden in some place in the ‘Golden Triangle’. The US offers a reward of 15 million dollars for information that leads to his arrest and/or capture.
Thanks for reading!
Mica
Email: mica@cartelinsider.com
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