Sean Penn admits he was 'baffled' El Chapo took his calls

Sean Penn admits he was just as surprised as anyone that landed an interview with Mexican cartel kingpin, Joaquín Guzmán Loera — a.k.a. "El Chapo."

"I was baffled by his will to see us," Penn said Sunday night on "60 Minutes," during a sit-down about his infamous Rolling Stone article on El Chapo.

During the interview with CBS newscaster Charlie Rose, Penn also criticized the U.S. war on drugs.

"I think the policy of the war on drugs, which so deeply affects all of our lives... seems to be so unmovable," the actor said. "We want to look at a black hat and put our resources into focusing on the bad guy and I understand that. I absolutely understand justice and the rule of law."

Also Read:El Chapo Didn't Know Who Sean Penn Was Prior to Rolling Stone Interview

Mexican authorities have previously indicated that Penn's interview helped officials track down El Chapo. Penn sat down with the cartel kingpin for seven hours back in October. However, the actor was barred from using a pen, paper or any type of recording devices during the interview. The drug lord later answered additional questions that were sent to him via BlackBerry Messenger, also known as BBM. Rolling Stone published the story on Saturday night with Penn explaining that he met with El Chapo while the drug lord was a fugitive from justice.

In the account, El Chapo revealed the full details of his drug operation, as well as his escape from prison last summer.

PHOTOS: El Chapo's recent arrest

Mexican attorney general Arely Gomez said that "discovering Guzman's intention to have a biographic film made" was important to the cartel king's capture. "He contacted actresses and producers, which was part of one line of investigation."

Also Read:Ex-Rolling Stone Editor: Sean Penn's El Chapo Story Is 'Tropic Thunder' Meets Hunter S. Thompson

Mexican actress Kate del Castillo helped arrange the interview between Penn and El Chapo. A Mexican government official revealed to Agence France-Presse that authorities "had knowledge of this meeting" and said that knowledge helped make the capture of El Chapo possible.

In Penn's article, he wrote that El Chapo wanted del Catillo's assistance in adapting his personal story for a movie.

Two unnamed Mexican government sources told Reuters that authorities had monitored Penn's movements ahead of his meeting with El Chapo, and that helicopter gunships were used in the initial raid after the meeting that failed to capture the notorious criminal mastermind.

El Chapo disappeared from Mexico's highest security prison last summer, escaping via a mile-long tunnel that some said cost $1 million to build. Penn wrote in the article that the drug lord hired German engineers to build the tunnel.

Rose revealed last week at the TCA winter press tour that he had just met with Penn in Los Angeles to lay the groundwork for the interview.

Read original story Sean Penn Admits He Was 'Baffled' El Chapo Took His Calls At TheWrap