Pay for WiFi or get killed: Mexican drug cartel threatens villagers

Michoacan/ Mexico: People of a village in central Mexico state of Michoacan live in fear of getting killed if they can’t pay for the WiFi provided by a Mexican drug cartel, the Los Viagras

After setting up makeshit WiFi with antennas in the village, the criminal group has begun demanding locals to pay extortionate monthly fees.

The group has threatened to kill people if they fail to pay for the service, according to UK newspaper, Metro.

They are charging a hefty fees between 400 and 500 pesos ($25 to $30) a month from around 5,000 people.

The cartel usually earns around $150,000 a month from what is dubbed as ‘narco-antennas’.

Since August 2023, the group has forced residents of several towns to sign up, according to the Attorney General's Office of Michoacán.

‘'People were terrorized to contract the internet services at excessive costs, under the claim that they would be killed if they did not,’' prosecutors reportedly said.

Following tip off about the extortion, authorities raided the properties seizing some equipment being used for the scheme.

Authorities on December 29 seized ‘Three antennas and internet repeater equipment, as well as connection and computing,’ according to the report.

Michoacan State police said the group made about 4 million pesos a month forcing residents to use their service.

Mexican drug cartels are using shadow radio towers and makeshift internet to dodge authorities and communicate with other criminal outfits.

The 200 armed groups in Mexico not only carry out drug trafficking but ‘becoming de facto monopolists of certain services and other legal markets,’ said Falko Ernst, Mexico analyst for Crisis Group.