Editing Joaquín Guzmán Loera (section)

=== Methamphetamine ===
After the fall of the Amezcua brothers – founders of the [[Colima Cartel]] – in 1999 on methamphetamine
<nowiki> </nowiki>trafficking charges, there was a demand for leadership throughout 
Mexico to coordinate methamphetamine shipments north. Guzmán saw an 
opportunity and seized it.<sup>[85]</sup> Easily arranging precursor shipments, Guzmán and [[Ismael Zambada García]]
<nowiki> </nowiki>("El Mayo") made use of their previous contacts on Mexico's Pacific 
coast. Importantly, for the first time, the Colombians would not have to
<nowiki> </nowiki>be paid – they simply joined methamphetamine with cocaine shipments. 
This fact meant no additional money was needed for airplanes, pilots, 
boats and bribes; they used the existing infrastructure to pipeline the 
new product.<sup>[85]</sup>

Until this point, the Sinaloa Cartel
<nowiki> </nowiki>had been a joint venture between Guzmán and Ismael Zambada García; the 
methamphetamine business would be Guzmán's alone. He cultivated his own 
ties to China, Thailand and India to import the necessary precursor 
chemicals. Throughout the mountains of the states of Sinaloa, Durango, Jalisco, Michoacán and Nayarit, Guzmán constructed large methamphetamine laboratories and rapidly expanded his organization.<sup>[85]</sup>

His habit of moving from place to place allowed him to nurture 
contacts throughout the country. He was now operating in 17 of 31 
Mexican states. With his business expanding, he placed his trusted 
friend Ignacio Coronel Villarreal
<nowiki> </nowiki>in charge of methamphetamine production; this way Guzmán could continue
<nowiki> </nowiki>being the boss of bosses. Coronel Villarreal proved so reliable in the 
Guzmán business that he became known as the "Crystal King".<sup>[97]</sup>