Inside Mexico's Most Powerful Drug Cartel | Foreign Correspondent
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Publicado 2021-07-22
In Mexico’s Sinaloa state, violence has become a way of life.
Home to the country’s most powerful drug syndicate, the Sinaloa cartel, murders and disappearances are rife.
The police, meant to protect the population, are often the targets of violence. Over 500 officers were killed in Mexico last year.
They’re also often complicit, with corruption in the police force and government a major problem.In this shocking portrait of a country caught in the grip of organised crime, reporter Ben Zand takes us where few have gone – inside the Sinaloa cartel in the Sierra Madre mountains where he witnesses the group’s operations up close.
At their hidden base, the group grows poppies and marijuana for export, fends off outsiders with guns and bribes visiting police and security officers with money and women.
“The government is the one in charge” say the local leader. “The cartel is only as big as the government wants us to be.”
Commentator and writer Ioan Grillo believes that the police and military used to have the upper hand with the cartels but says that’s now changed.
“Some of the cartels have become much more powerful,” says Grillo. “[now] the cartel is actually bullying and controlling elements of the security forces.”
It’s the community who’s paying the price for corruption and impunity.
Mirna Quiñones’ son disappeared suddenly 7 years ago. When police refused to help her, she set out to find him herself.
She went on to set up the Trackers of El Fuerte group which helps parents looking for their children. In the last seven years of searching, they’ve uncovered over two hundred bodies.
“There is no justice. We all know that. I have been threatened by the municipal police here. The government and crime are united.”
Interior Minister, Olga Sánchez Cordero, concedes there is corruption. “The trials, and the investigations, are deficient”, she says. “Lawyers are threatened. Judges are threatened. That is just the reality.”
But she maintains the government is doing its best to investigate the cartels and to undermine their support base.
Investigative journalist Anabel Hernández disagrees, saying she has little faith the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, elected two and half years ago, will tackle the problem.
“He promised to do something different but….it’s just the same. Nothing changed. In some parts it's worse."
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Todos los comentarios (21)
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You may recognise some footage in this documentary, this program was produced in collaboration with Ben Zand and Vice TV. If you'd like to learn more about the mothers searching for Mexico's disappeared you can read our accompanying article here: www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-22/las-rastreadoras-de…
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The 13-year-old sitting with a machine gun on his lap saying how he doesn't want to kill people but instead wants to become a vet is a perfect example of the duality of man. Great documentary
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The irony in his father saying he thinks about the people he kills as animals and his son said he wants to be a vet and loves animals
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Dude. So many journalists die in Mexico investigating stuff like this. Props to you for doing real investigative journalism.
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If youre a police officer in Mexico and you're not corrupt. You are by far one of the bravest individuals on this planet. The united states police officers never go through something like this.
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The woman digging in the dirt looking for their missing kids is absolutely heart wrenching
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The women digging up mass graves to find their children is probably the saddest thing I've ever heard in my life.
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"Justice is blind. Justice is not for us in Mexico" This has to be the saddest thing to say by a citizen of a country.
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I’m Mexican. This is the saddest video I’ve seen and it’s impressive how a foreign man does a better job of reporting the situation than any Mexican reporter. I can’t believe he took all those risk and went himself to those places. He es so brave, anyways 10/10
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I really hope that boy grows up to be a vet, all the luck for him.
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As a mexican that lives in culiacan, the part of this that hurts me more is the culture built around the cartels, kids here grow up to desiring to become one of them, it's really hurting to see every time more people envolved in it. Movies, music, tv shows, all of that feeds that culture and makes more people think that they are making good.
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this video hit a little hard for me. I have a cousin who has been missing since 2019 and the authorities would not help my family look for him as they said it was “a waste of time.” I have so much respect for the mothers who do what they do and help some families get closure.
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It’s really sad, because most of the Mexican people, I know are very genuine. I wish Mexico and their people the best!
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imagine talking with an 13 year old cartel member about cows.
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Such as a heartbreaking situation, the fact that the 13-years old kid want to study to be a vet but they guy said "he's most likely to be a hitman than a vet" broke my heart. I hope, even that it seems impossible he can finds way to achieve his dreams, that kid really cares about people and animals. Just so heartbreaking.
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The 13 year old broke my heart his eyes are still so full of innocence and life I hate that this is the path he was put on.
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I am amazed at the courage that reporter had, without even knowing exactly where he was or what would happen
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The kid’s eyes looks so bright and intelligent, which is all the sadder…
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The kid just wants to be a vet and make an honest living. You are a product of your environment and I feel like this kid is trapped in this life. It's so very sad. I pray that he finds a way out. Somehow, someway... What a complete clusterfuck of a situation. The kid really never had a chance....
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i am from mexico, and i study criminalistic and crriminology, to some day, be a police or agent of investigations, and i promise, i'm gonna do everything i can do, to make a change in this country, even if it costs my life
