Born in Sinaloa, Mexico, El Chapo grew up ima poor environment, enduring his fathers abuse. He dropped out of school in 3rd grade to work with his dad. His dad spent all his money on women and liquor, so he started his own weed farm at age 15. He started the drug business when he was young because of his father, later helping him grow marijuana to sell to the local drug dealers. Around the 1970's, Joaquín started working with one of the uprising drug lords, Hećtor Luis Palma Salazar bringing drugs into the US. He later started with Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, but started his own cartel after Gallardo's arrest. He started operations with heroin, marijuana, meth, and cocaine. He used underground tunnels close to the border to make this possible. He was later pronounced to have the same wealth as former kingpin Pablo Escobar.
