Yeah, they really wanted to get the exclusive:

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/01/09/sean-penn-interviewed-fugitive-drug-lord-el-chapo-for-rolling-stone/

Yeah, check this out:

Rolling Stone Gathers No Accolades

By Andrew Seaman | January 9th, 2016

A magazine that staked the reputation of countless people on one person’s account just a year ago allowed a suspected murderer and drug lord control over an article.

While Sean Penn’s name appears on anarticle published tonight on Rolling Stone’s website, an accompanying note makes it clear Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera – known as El Chapo – controlled its content.

Guzmán was recaptured Friday in Mexico after escaping from one of the country’s most secure prisons last year.

The Rolling Stone story cautions that “an understanding was brokered with the subject that this piece would be submitted for the subject’s approval before publication. The subject did not ask for any changes.”

Allowing any source control over a story’s content is inexcusable. The practice of pre-approval discredits the entire story – whether the subject requests changes or not. The writer, who in this case is an actor and activist, may write the story in a more favorable light and omit unflattering facts in an attempt to not to be rejected.

Forfeiting its editorial control to Guzman is the latest misstep in the lauded magazine’s modern history. Last Spring, Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism chastised Rolling Stone in a report for publishing a severely flawed article about campus rape that largely relied on the account of one person. The magazine responded to the report by doing nothing.

Earlier this week, a rejection letter from Rolling Stone’s Hunter S. Thompsoncirculated around the Internet. In his words, Rolling Stone, “what kind of lame, half-mad bullshit are you trying to sneak over on us?” We expect better. Get it together.

http://blogs.spjnetwork.org/ethics/2016/01/09/rolling-stone-gathers-no-accolades/

SPJ - Society of Professional Journalist, they write the Code of Ethics that most people refer to (though clearly, some ignore).

It's really obvious why Sean Penn went in. He really is 006, in service for her majesty to bring back some fine home grown stuff ;)

Um, then he can just go to North America, where they have by far better Marijuana.  That's not even debatable at this point, it's widely known the Cartels are moving away from Marijuana production due to legalisation creep in the US which has improved quality and access dramatically.  

My friend, are you really questioning my 006 pout and her majesties intelligence :p

Yes, yes I am :P 

I'm just saying, we've got really good Marijuana in the States, these days ;) lol

Extraditing El Chapo to the US could take a year or more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/mexico-launches-drug-lords-us-extradition-process-044655097.html
They better start working on their new tunnel!

There's also 15 minutes of footage of the operation which lead to his capture (him actually being captured isn't shown)