In the ten days since El Chapo‘s latest arrest, much of the fallout press has revolved around Sean Penn and Kate del Castillo. Both actors would do well to watch their backs, according to one cartel expert. Penn was filled with regret for his “failed” effort to start a meaningful dialogue about drug policy. Never mind that Penn spent the interview talking about bodily functions and — whoa — drones, man.
El Chapo’s capture was prompted by both the Penn interview and the schoolboy crush on del Castillo, but what if there was another contributing factor? After all, El Chapo nearly got himself caught last October thanks to a pet monkey. El Chapo is said to be very savvy, which has much to do with his elaborate tunnel escapes. However, he’s also a man who can be betrayed by his stomach. According to a new investigative piece by the New York Times, a massive order of tacos was the crowning evidence that led to capture:
In early January, [El Chapo] arrived in the coastal city of Los Mochis, in Sinaloa, at a home where the authorities had trailed one of the chief tunnel diggers from his escape. Construction crews had been hard at work on the house for weeks. Telephone intercepts indicated that someone big was about to arrive.
The final bit of evidence was a food order, Mexican officials said.
Just two blocks away, a big order of tacos was picked up after midnight on Jan. 8 by a man driving a white van, like the one believed to be driven by Mr. Guzmán’s associates, witnesses said.
Now that’s some full-on journalism, unlike whatever Sean Penn was aiming to accomplish. Intrigue and entertainment value plus a lot of other relevant research all adds up. The rest of the piece covers a lot of familiar ground but is well worth a read for details surrounding El Chapo’s mythology and the other clues that led to the drug lord’s arrest. There’s also some action-packed raid goodness and plenty of photos. The piece wonders whether El Chapo will see the light of day again. He’ll certainly give it a shot.
(Via New York Times)