EP 5: The Fugitive

November 27, 2018·20 min·1 clip

Poppy farmers in Mexico's mountains are going out of business because of an unexpected economic shift in the drug trade.

The episode follows journalists investigating the manhunt for Rafael Caro Quintero, co-founder of the Guadalajara cartel who was released from prison on a technicality in 2013 after serving time for killing DEA agent Kiki Camarena. The US government, caught off guard by his release, has placed a $20 million bounty on his head. Mexican Marines are conducting intensive operations in the Sierra mountains of Sinaloa, believing Caro Quintero is hiding there. The reporters travel to this remote region, meeting local residents affected by the military operations. They interview poppy and marijuana farmers who represent the bottom of the drug supply chain, learning that their livelihoods have collapsed due to changing market conditions. Marijuana became worthless after US legalization, and poppy prices have plummeted from $1,800 per kilo to $500 as cartels shift to synthetic fentanyl production. The farmers express frustration that government programs to grow legal crops like avocados failed due to lack of infrastructure support. During their visit, the journalists learn about a controversial military operation where Marines allegedly detained and tortured a 16-year-old boy for 10 hours, seeking information about Caro Quintero's whereabouts. The boy was reportedly beaten, had a bag placed over his head, and was threatened along with his family to remain silent about the abuse. Local residents describe the Marines operating without search warrants, cutting communications, and taking people's money and identification. The community responded with protests, threatening to form self-defense groups similar to those in other parts of Mexico. The episode reveals the complex loyalties in the region, where residents often view drug lords like Caro Quintero as benefactors rather than criminals, with children wearing his image and singing songs about him. The journalists note the presence of suspected American agents during the operations, though both the DEA and Mexican military deny involvement when contacted. The story illustrates how the drug war creates cycles of violence and mistrust, affecting innocent civilians caught between cartel influence and government crackdowns.

As heard by us

A mountain drive opens into Caro Quintero history, rural fear, and the economics of poppy work.

A mountain drive outside Culiacan opens into a wider account of Rafael Caro Quintero, the Marines, and the strain military operations can put on village life.

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Why you'd press play

Want cartel history told through one tense mountain ride and a family lunch?

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