Meeting with a member of a mighty criminal network

Meeting with a member of a mighty criminal network

in Culiacán, Mexico, we meet a man who belongs to the Sinaloa Kartell - one of the most powerful and feared criminal networks in the world. This organization was recently been classified by the US government as The threat from the Sinaloa Kartell

The Sinaloa Kartell is a group that "murdered, raped, tortured and performs full control ... and thus represents a great threat to the national security of the United States", as US President Donald Trump emphasized. He promised to wage a "war" against the cartels of Mexico.

The encounter in hidden

It took weeks to reach this man, to confirm his identity and convince him to speak to us. Our contact on site in the Mexican state of Sinaloa has repeatedly assured him that we are not the police-no Dea agents and not the CIA.

insight into the cartel life

We reach an inconspicuous house in a residential area in the south of Culiacán and are instructed to cover the camera when entering. It is a quarter that is known for being inhabited by cartels. Once inside, we are taken to a weakly lit bedroom in the back area of the house. A huge painting of Jesus Christ hangs on the wall, over a rusted bed that is covered with dust. An older, stocky man stands by the window, stops a walkie talkie close to the ear and takes anxious view of the street where cars and military vehicles drive past.

the cartel member and his surroundings

The cartel member-in the eyes of the US government now a terrorist-sits in a corner of the room. It has a firm handshake and a strong physique. He wears a baseball cap with an imprint from the "Joker" film, which is pulled deep in the face, a scarf wrapped around his head, sunglasses to cover his eyes and blue latex gloves to hide the tattoos on his hands. A assault rifle leans next to his chair. In addition, there are two other walkie talkies, through which the cartel wax post continuously transmits information about the movements of the Mexican military.