Mexico Cartels Embrace Fentanyl, Leaving El Chapo’s Opium Heartland Desolate

The once-thriving village of La Tuna, known for being the home of Mexico’s infamous drug clan and birthplace of drug lord Joaquí­n “El Chapo” Guzmán, now sits in eerie silence. The trappings of cartel control still linger, with masked gunmen and spotters patrolling the area, but the opium and marijuana wealth that once defined the region has vanished.

A shift to synthetic drugs like fentanyl has led to the demise of traditional drug farming in the region. The collapse in opium paste prices has forced growers to adapt to the changing market, with many abandoning their illicit crops. The rise of synthetic drugs has made it easier and more profitable for cartels to operate, leading to a generational shift among drug lords.

The Sinaloa cartel, once led by El Chapo, has now passed control to his sons, known as “Los Chapitos,” who have embraced the fentanyl trade in urban areas while neglecting the rural villages. Violent clashes and turf wars continue to plague the region, with many traffickers meeting untimely deaths.

As the drug trade evolves and cartels continue to thrive, the once-prosperous villages in the “Golden Triangle” are left with a bleak future. The influx of money from the synthetic drug trade bypasses the rural communities, leaving residents to reflect on the end of an era.

Despite the grim reality facing La Tuna and its neighboring towns, the legacy of the drug trade lives on in the grandiose tombs of Culiacán’s cemetery, where slain cartel members are laid to rest. The cycle of violence and wealth continues, leaving behind a haunting reminder of the region’s dark past.