InvestigationMexico, the empire of the cartels (2/3). In a three-part investigation, signed by Bertrand Monnet, professor at Edhec and specialist in the economics of crime, “Le Monde” delves into the workings of the Sinaloa cartel. Second episode: the city over which the “narcos” reign supreme, between business and settling of scores.
“To all of you, I am leaving the Tres Rios hotel for the Lomita church district; is the road clear? To you. “ As before each trip, the man of the Sinaloa cartel who transports me in his white pick-up takes out his smartphone and broadcasts this message on the special network to which all the “narcos” in circulation in Culiacan are connected, as well as the dozens of lookouts posted day and night at major city crossroads. The organization’s Waze, in a way. A minute later, the response crumbles: “Don’t move, army blockade in progress on Rosales Avenue. “
After half an hour of waiting, the way is clear. “The cops, it’s easy, they all work for us, lets go the driver, saluting with a sound of the horn two agents who control a line of cars but let us pass. The only problem is the military. They don’t take the money. If we’re stopped by a patrol, you put your hands on the dashboard right away and pray that it goes well. They shoot before they speak. “
In the back of the pickup stands a man in his thirties, Miguel – the names have been changed. NYC cap (for New York City), branded polo shirt, jeans and moccasins, it does not have the usual allure of the cartel narcos. I met him a few weeks earlier with other “executives”. Its mission: to accompany me – and therefore to monitor me – in some of my trips, without ever warning me of his presence. He is not armed. “But behind, they have what it takes in case of problems! “, the driver slips in, pointing to a following car. Miguel is not very attractive; he always avoided answering my questions about his role in the cartel, except when I asked him if he started out as sicario (” hitman “). He then replied, with a half-indulgent, half-disdainful smile: “Yes, but now I have people buried in backhoe pits. “ In other words, he has taken a step up; he now heads the teams of sicarios.
I will learn later that Miguel is close to one of the main leaders of the organization. Aware that what interests me is not to witness their crimes but to understand the workings of their economic model, his “boss” ended up authorizing me, after a long approach, to come to their territory, here , in Culiacan (900,000 inhabitants). Charge Miguel to open the doors of certain groups to me.
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