How to Find the Cartel Warehouse Key from the Eastern Most Sunken Ship in Al Mazrah in Call of Duty: Warzone 2 DMZ

Looking to get your hands on some top-tiercontraband? Unlocking the Cartel‘s secret warehouse in Al Mazrah provides access to rare weapon blueprints, max level armor plates, killstreaks and more!

But first you need to track down the valuable Cartel Warehouse Key hidden inside an ominous shipwreck on the eastern shore.

In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll walk you step-by-step through locating and acquiring this lucrative key, then successfully extracting it from the Exclusion Zone.

Stick with me and I‘ll provide maps, tips from experts, ideal loadouts, and everything else you need to retrieve that key and unlock the Cartel‘s motherlode of loot! Let‘s do this.

Overview of the Cartel Faction

Before we dive in (pun intended), let‘s talk about who this mysterious Cartel faction actually is. Based on intel from NPC chatter and other environmental clues, we can piece together some background:

The Cartel are a ruthless criminal organization that previously operated in the Al Mazrah region. Reliant on drug and weapons trafficking, they utilized their coastal connections and ships to smuggle contraband.

Following the quarantine and abandonment of Al Mazrah, the Cartel are making a violent resurgence. They‘ve established a stronghold including an armored warehouse likely containing their most valuable remaining assets.

Getting inside is key to acquiring contraband unavailable anywhere else in the Exclusion Zone. This makes the Cartel Warehouse Key one of the most coveted items for Operators.

Now let‘s get to locating that key!

Step 1 – Loot a Rebreather

Before you can even attempt approaching the sunken ship, you‘ll need a Rebreather equipment item equipped.

Without a Rebreather, you‘ll drown while trying to swim through the flooded interior. So loot one first!

Here are some of the best spots to find Rebreathers:

Medical Locations

Check pharmacies, hospitals, medic tents, and other medical supply spots. Search first aid kits, medical crates, and shelves for potential Rebreather spawns:

• Pharmacy: Northern pharmacy in Sa‘id (D7)
• Field Hospital: Next to the Sa‘id Cemetery (E7)

Supply Crates

Rebreathers can spawn in regular loot crates and caches, especially in areas marked "Cleared" after defeating AI combatants:

• Police Station: North of Palace (E3)
• Electronics Shop: Eastern shop in Al Sharim Pass (H5)

Loot Enemies

Eliminate Heavy Gunners and other armored enemies – they tend to drop rare items including Rebreathers when looted.

Buy Stations

Visit Buy Stations to check for Rebreathers in stock under the Specials tab. They restock over time so keep checking back.

Prioritize finding a Rebreather as your first goal before approaching the shipwreck.

Step 2 – Navigate to the Eastern Sunken Ship

Once you‘ve equipped a Rebreather, it‘s time to locate the ominous shipwreck hideout of the Cartel key.

You can spot the decaying metal hull of the sunken craft on the southeast shore of Al Mazrah, just north of the Sattiq Caves point of interest.

Use your Tac Map to navigate to coordinates E8 – here‘s a screenshot for reference:

[Map Screenshot]

Move tactically as you traverse the rocky slopes. Snipers often perch on the high sea cliffs overlooking the shipwreck.

The exposed promenade around the wreck can also harbor AI combatants like Armored Infantry. Be prepared for a fight.

When you‘ve reached the ship, scout for enemies before approaching. With the area clear, it‘s time to brave the flooded depths below.

Step 3 – Swim Under and Inside the Shipwreck

Equip your Rebreather and submerge beneath the water‘s surface near the shipwreck.

Peer into the dark interior through torn holes in the rusted metal hull plating. Be alert for any mines and swim inside carefully.

Use a flashlight attachment if available to help navigate the murky depths. Watch your oxygen levels and listen for enemy movement within.

Push deeper through the decrepit hallways, avoiding sharp debris and keeping an eye out for holes in the floor.

According to player reports, the Cartel Warehouse Key most often spawns in the captain‘s quarters toward the rear of the ship. Let‘s head there next.

Step 4 – Obtain the Key from the Captain‘s Quarters

Making your way toward the back of the flooded vessel interior, you‘ll come upon an angled doorway labeled "Captain."

Surface inside this room – you should see the Cartel Warehouse Key sitting on the desk or cabinetry, ready to swipe. Loot it quickly!

With the key finally acquired, it‘s time to safely get yourself and your new prize out of Al Mazrah.

Tips for Extracting the Cartel Warehouse Key

Obtaining the key is only step one – now you need to successfully exfil from the Exclusion Zone with it in your inventory.

Enemy players will be gunning for you if they spot that key, so play cautiously and tactically on your way to the extraction point.

Here are some tips from experts for safely extracting high-value contraband like the Cartel Warehouse Key:

• Use cover – Move between buildings and terrain, avoiding open areas. Don‘t let enemies pin you down.

• Suppressors – Equip suppressed weapons to avoid attracting unwanted attention.

• Avoid combat – Steer clear of fights when possible to reduce your chances of dying.

• Exfil contracts – Activate these to reveal extraction points close to your position.

• Zig-zag sprint – Sprint in a zig-zag pattern to dodge incoming bullets as needed.

• Smoke grenades – Throw smoke to obstruct sniper sight lines as you traverse open spaces.

• Perks – Consider Cold Blooded to hide from AI and enemy sensors.

Get the key safely to the exfil point and you can breathe easy! Now let‘s prep the right loadout to achieve that…

Ideal Loadouts to Extract the Key

The gear you equip can make all the difference in successfully extracting high-value loot like the Cartel Warehouse Key.

Here are two recommended loadouts from expert players:

Stealth Loadout

Focused on avoiding combat and moving undetected:

Primary: SP-R 208 marksman rifle with suppressor

Secondary: P890 pistol with suppressor

Tactical: Stim, Flash Grenade

Lethal: Proximity Mine to cover flanks

Perks: Cold Blooded, Spotter, Tracker

CQB Loadout

Ideal for close engagements:

Primary: Kastov-74u with silencer

Secondary: P890 pistol

Tactical: Stun Grenade, Stim

Lethal: Semtex sticky bomb

Perks: EOD, Scavenger, Battle Hardened

Choose a loadout catering to your preferred playstyle, but stealth and suppression are key for slipping away unnoticed.

Now, are you ready to see what riches await inside the Cartel Warehouse? Let‘s take a look…

Inside the Cartel Warehouse Cache

After successfully extracting the key, here are some of the rewards you can expect upon unlocking the Cartel Warehouse:

• 8 weapon blueprints – Gain access to the Cartel‘s rarest guns like the Rapp H SMG and FSS Hurricane shotgun.

• Max armor plates – Level 5 armor plates providing you with 3 plates for 250 total armor. Massively increased survivability.

• Killstreak cache – Grab UAVs, Cluster Strikes, Precision Airstrikes and more high level killstreaks.

• 15 unique attachments – Deck out your weapons with sought-after attachments like the FSS OLE-V Laser and FTAC Castle Comp.

• Cosmetic skins – Stand out with weapon skins and Operator skins you won‘t find anywhere else.

• Ability to re-loot – The Cartel Warehouse cache regenerates over time, enabling repeated looting runs.

Gaining access to this loot cache provides a major advantage – no wonder the key is so coveted!

Master DMZ Exploration to Find More Hidden Keys

While the Cartel Warehouse Key is a major prize, there are other hidden keys scattered across Al Mazrah‘s sprawling Exclusion Zones.

Here are some tips from DMZ experts for mastering exploration to acquire more high-value keys:

• Sweep named locations – Check desks, cabinets, safes in offices, warehouses and homes. Keys tend to spawn in somewhat hidden spots.

• Complete new missions – Season 3 brings new missions that reward keys for stashes and bunkers.

• Target HVTs – Defeating High Value Targets will drop keys granting you access to their personal contraband caches.

• Listen for audio cues – If you hear faint jangling metal sounds, it could indicate keys nearby.

• Use Scavenger – This perk highlights loot including keys through walls pointing you to hidden locations.

• Check interactive maps – Resources like XRIA show potential key and item spawn points around the map.

With new areas to explore and missions to complete, Season 3 offers more possibilities than ever for acquiring rare contraband keys.

Now get out there, snag that Cartel Warehouse Key from the murky shipwreck, and unlock the loot you deserve! Thanks for sticking with me on this underwater quest – now go dominate Al Mazrah.