La Cachina

[ironchefchris]

From another thread:

"BTW, what Chi chi said is quite true. But he shouldn't be referring to Polvos Azules, though, La Cachina would be the right place.... Visit La Cachina for a change. One can "place an order" for anything or almost anything there and get it within a few hours. No need to explain how such orders are "processed". And there's a "La Cachina" in almost every city."

chi chi posted in another thread that one could go to Polvos Azules and have someone acquire a stolen iPhone charger for purchase. Why one would buy a stolen charger when you could easily purchase one legit is beyond me - however, I digress. mamamia posted that chi chi was correct, but that he was wrong about the location. Appaerntly Polvos Azules is not the place where one can place an order for a hot iPhone charger or "anything or almost anything and get it within a few hours." According to mamamia the place to go is La Cachina. I have zero knowledge of Limas criminal element or how or where it functions and this is the first I've heard of La Cachina. Is La Cachina an actual physical location, like other markets, where one can go "visit" to find anything, or is it more of an abstract, like the "black market" that exists without a physical location? I'm guessing the latter since mamamia also mentioned there's a La Cachina in almost every city, but again, I have no knowledge in these things - just curiosity.

chi chi has also posted about the existence of seven year old hit men who charge S/. 150 per hit, but he's repeatedly refused to share any further info on where these little mini hit men can be found or if they even exist. I'm not in the market, but I do know where one can get a toe in Los Angeles... by three o'clock... with nail polish. I'm willing to share my source should anyone find themselves in the greater L.A. area and in need of a toe:

[youtube]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z_VAfVhsvOA[/youtube]

[mammamia]

Why one would buy a stolen charger when you could easily purchase one legit is beyond me

Why are you curious then????? If you're such a law abiding citizen why in the world would you like to know where La Cachina is? Stay in your tiny crystal clear legit world and don't start a thread just to make yourself seen again.

[ironchefchris]

I never said anything about being a law abiding citizen or not, just that I don't know anything about how La Cachina works in Lima or elsewhere in Peru as I've never heard of it before. I've always had in interest in economics and so called 'pure and perfect capitalism,' under which the black market works. It's an interesting subject. One can be curious without wanting to participate. A perfectly law abiding person who writes about organized crime is curious without wanting to participate, as is anyone who watches a documentary or reads a book on serial killers, white collar criminals, or any number of subjects. Is there a crime, or even a problem, in being curious about the world? Gangster/crime/mafia stories are big sellers because people are curious, but it doesn't mean everyone who's seen 'The Godfather' wants to be Luca Brazzi. I find the notion of 7 year old hit men an interesting curiosity but I'm not looking to hire one, nor am I interested in buying a stolen cell phone charger when one can be found just about anywhere for a few Soles, but the idea of a place where one can place an order for just about anything sounds interesting. Who wouldn't read an article in their Sunday paper about such a place? I'm not looking for an address, if one even exists, I'm just curious about the structure of La Cachina and since you mentioned it, it would figure that you are at least somewhat aware of its details.

[ironchefchris]

BTW - I wasn't suggesting or trying to suggest anyone having personal involvement in La Cachina. If one can be curious without being involved or seeking to be involved then one can be aware without actual involvement or seeking to be involved. Apologies if my post came across otherwise. That wasn't my intent; just to learn about something in Peru that I don't know about.

[teamoperu]

Interesting deafening silence. Speaks volumes about those posters, no?

Your question is valid, maybe I can help, but my personal experience is a bit limited. Open to corrections. Generally, La Cachina is used as a general term for where they sell stolen (or used) property. As a general term it is anywhere. It is also a physical location, but transitory obviously given its nature. Off Argentina, not the Cachina mercado proper, but beside and around in puestos and street sales.

Euroman chi chi and mammamia are spouting off. The crooks sell what has been stolen, mostly electronics. You cannot get “anything” there, only what is commonly stolen. Some odd stuff, but not that Aeropress you are looking for muk muk

It is also nonsense that if they do not have it they will go steal it for you within a few hours. Who could possibly believe that? In practice if one crook doesn't have it he knows the crook network and runs to get it from someone else who does, gets a commission, and sells it to you.

It is also a great place to collect counterfeit bills and coins in your change, a real bonus.

I have never knowingly bought anything stolen there, but only chi chi and mammamia can answer for themselves... well, if chi chi could find it wandering around Polvos Azules.

Aside: I did see a Rogers cell phone and asked why such a low price? Because we get it from Chile and avoid taxes (LOL). Clearly some Canadian is without a cell phone and the reason I refuse to deal with these crooks.

[ironchefchris]

Thanks for the response/info. I'm not in the market, but say I was, could I find a 7 year old hit man for S/. 150 in La Cachina?

[adrian Thorne]

As you say they can be anywhere.
I had my overtaking mirror stolen during the morning and so popped over to Ave Canada. I stopped and asked the several guys, who were waving overtaking mirrors at me. I parked up and within thirty minutes my order was being fitted. I would swear it was the same one I had lost. S/150 lighter but safe and my mirrors are now riveted on.

[mammamia]

Interesting deafening silence.

Mr. Te Amo, firstly, there's a very simple explanation to that. Most of your friend's "eloquence" remains hidden from my attention due to the fact that this honorable contributor to this forum is on my ignore list. Only occasionally I do unlock his prolonged posts if I notice him mention the topic in the discussion of which I had been previously involved.
Secondly, unlike some highly esteemed Canadian members of this forum community, I am a busy person (I'm working in Peru and not trying to evade high Canadian taxes traveling around the world in search of safe havens like Peru, Ecuador or even Cuba). Yes, I am too busy to read highly contradictive and sometimes very offensive posts by people who seem to have nothing to do but sit in front of their desktops writing copious comments about everything and everybody...

The crooks sell what has been stolen, mostly electronics. You cannot get “anything” there, only what is commonly stolen.

Te Amo, sometimes you make me laugh really loud. In one of your previous posts you called me "a newbie". Ridiculous, isn't it? Looks to me you've never been to the place yourself and are just relying on some stories told to you by some of your acquaintances... Funny you are indeed! First of all, I don't think you'd even have the guts to show up there, gringo as you are. Back in 2007 I worked a lot in that area. We would bring a couple of trucks and for each of them there would be assigned at least one guy with a big club to chase away crooks trying to climb to the truck and steal our merchandise. So, Te Amo, seems to me you've been to the wrong side of it!!!

It is also nonsense that if they do not have it they will go steal it for you within a few hours.
It is also a great place to collect counterfeit bills and coins in your change, a real bonus.

The real nonsense is your offensive babbling about things you know nothing about.

I have never knowingly bought anything stolen there

This sentence defines best your lack of knowledge about what you were trying to describe in your very contradictory post.

Good bye, Mr. Te Amo and hope never to hear from you again.

[ironchefchris]

^ that was pretty long, wordy and prolonged itself by the standards applied to me, but I didn't mind as it was also quite articulate. Read faster than a short Yahoo! news article and who amongst us can't manage that? Anyway, if the above description of La Cachina is incorrect, perhaps you'd be willing to inform all interested of the correct details, or at least your version of what it is and how it operates? Guys with big clubs to chase away banditos is the start of an interesting description.

[gringito]

Hi ironchefchris,
The centro comercial La Cachina is in the Av. Argentina (starting in Lima Cercado, Plaza Ramon Castila, heading to to Callao), cuadra 8, left hand.
You can identify it by a big inflated bear figure mounted on the roof top.
While it is known that stolen goods are sold in SOME of the little stores it is quite a normal centro comercial with some interesting things you cannot find that easily in other places, such als surfboards, adventure gear, etc.
Stolen goods are primarily found in the shops that sell digital cameras.
While I was there, a guy asked me blatantly if I had "cameras for sale".
The centro comercial is quite safe during day time; there are a lot of vigilantes.

[teamoperu]

^ that was pretty long, wordy and prolonged itself by the standards applied to me, but I didn't mind as it was also quite articulate. Read faster than a short Yahoo! news article and who amongst us can't manage that? Anyway, if the above description of La Cachina is incorrect, perhaps you'd be willing to inform all interested of the correct details, or at least your version of what it is and how it operates? Guys with big clubs to chase away banditos is the start of an interesting description.

ironchefchris:
I suspect mammamia is referring to the unruly parts of La Victoria years ago, not so specifically La Cachina centro commercial building proper. But he can elaborate and clarify what he meant himself.

[teamoperu]

^ that was pretty long, wordy and prolonged itself by the standards applied to me, but I didn't mind as it was also quite articulate. Read faster than a short Yahoo! news article and who amongst us can't manage that? Anyway, if the above description of La Cachina is incorrect, perhaps you'd be willing to inform all interested of the correct details, or at least your version of what it is and how it operates? Guys with big clubs to chase away banditos is the start of an interesting description.

ironchefchris:
I suspect mammamia is referring to the unruly parts of La Victoria years ago, not so specifically La Cachina centro commercial building proper. But if he can put his anger issues aside maybe he can constructively elaborate and clarify what he meant himself.

[ironchefchris]

Thanks for the info, gringito. Sounds like an interesting place to spend an afternoon people watching, maybe pick up some hard to find adventure gear.

[tupacperu]

There is La Cachina in Chiclayo, pretty much to same deal. The police conduct raids every now and then , but the contraband makes it's way back for sale.

[chi chi]

As you say they can be anywhere.
I had my overtaking mirror stolen during the morning and so popped over to Ave Canada. I stopped and asked the several guys, who were waving overtaking mirrors at me. I parked up and within thirty minutes my order was being fitted. I would swear it was the same one I had lost. S/150 lighter but safe and my mirrors are now riveted on.

I noticed a lot of cars have a chain connecting the mirror to the bodywork to avoid that people pull them off.

[chi chi]

Why one would buy a stolen charger when you could easily purchase one legit is beyond me

Why are you curious then????? If you're such a law abiding citizen why in the world would you like to know where La Cachina is? Stay in your tiny crystal clear legit world and don't start a thread just to make yourself seen again.

I am with mammamia.

[teamoperu]

By coincidence, I was listening in on a conversation yesterday. A Piurana was explaining shopping options to a Limena visiting Piura for the first time. “La Cachina” in Piura was used as a general term understood by all.