PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – In a new development in the ongoing battle against drug cartels in central Mexico, the notorious Los Viagras cartel has resorted to a new tactic to expand its influence beyond the drug trade. The criminal group has set up makeshift internet antennas in several towns in the embattled state of Michoacan, forcing residents to pay exorbitant fees for access to Wi-Fi or face dire consequences.
Dubbed “narco-antennas” by local media, these clandestine communication systems were erected using stolen equipment, and they have shaken the communities in their grip. The Michoacán state prosecutor’s office reported that approximately 5,000 individuals were coerced into paying elevated prices ranging between 400 and 500 pesos ($25 to $30) per month for the cartel’s Wi-Fi service, potentially netting the group a staggering $150,000 monthly.
Prosecutors revealed that locals were terrorized into subscribing to these internet services, threatened with violence or death if they refused to comply. It is important to note that no fatalities have been reported thus far in connection with this extortion scheme.
While the Los Viagras cartel was implicated in this criminal enterprise, authorities have refrained from confirming its involvement, citing an ongoing investigation. However, it is widely acknowledged that Los Viagras holds sway over the towns subjected to these forced Wi-Fi payments.
Law enforcement took swift action by seizing the equipment last week, subsequently sharing photographs of the makeshift antennas and a cache of equipment and routers bearing the labels of Telmex, the Mexican internet giant owned by influential businessman Carlos Slim. One individual was apprehended in connection with the operation.
The use of shadow networks, including radio towers and makeshift internet infrastructure, has been a longstanding tactic employed by Mexican cartels for internal communication and evading authorities. However, the extortion of communities through such towers represents a broader trend in the country’s evolving criminal landscape.
Falko Ernst, Mexico analyst for Crisis Group, emphasized that the numerous armed criminal groups operating in Mexico are no longer limited to drug trafficking; they are now establishing control over various legal markets and services, effectively becoming “de facto monopolists.” Cartels are increasingly wielding their power to demand taxes on basic goods, imported products, and infiltrating various industries, such as the lucrative avocado and lime markets in Michoacan, as well as segments of the local mining sector.
Ernst asserted, “It’s really become sort of like an all-around game for them. And it’s not specific to any particular good or market anymore. It’s become about holding territory through violence. It’s not solely about drugs anymore.”
As authorities continue their efforts to combat these criminal enterprises and protect communities, the “narco-antenna” episode serves as a stark reminder of the evolving tactics employed by cartels in their pursuit of power and influence in Mexico.
PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico - In a new development in the ongoing battle against drug cartels in central Mexico, the notorious Los Viagras cartel has resorted . . .
