They prayed to various religious icons and many of these traffickers also utilized an advisor known as a “curandero” for guidance and to perform “blessings” on themselves as well as their drug loads. In 2003, I began conducting extensive research on how the Mexican drug traffickers involve the spiritual world in their activity. Mexican drug traffickers pray to various recognized and non-recognized
religious icons that are known as their “patron saints”. These “patron saints” or icons include; Jesus Malverde, Santa Muerte, San Simon, Juan Soldado, St. Jude, The Virgin of Guadalupe, San Ramon, San Toribio Romo, Nino de Atocha and others. I have visited several shrines of their patron saints throughout Mexico, Spain, and the United States. I have compiled several cases from law enforcement officers throughout the United States where these items have been involved in drug trafficking and other criminal activity. I created and produced a law enforcement training video; “Patron Saints of the Mexican Drug Underworld”, and I am currently writing a book on this topic. Over the last nine years, I have conducted training throughout the United States for several thousand law enforcement officers. I have testified in federal and state court concerning various icons.
