A known Salopri affiliate arrived at Empire Tattoo on Port Laveau's main drag yesterday afternoon. He socialized with staff. A newcomer hovered at the window before stepping inside. Witnesses saw the outsider exchange smiles with the affiliate and a tattooed regular. The group dispersed.

The Ledger learned Sheriff's Office sources track Salopri operatives using Port Laveau storefronts as meeting grounds. The tactic recruits newly arrived residents. With Syndicate tensions escalating in the Blackwater arc, insiders warn fresh faces face loyalty tests soon after arrival.

A department spokesperson said: 'Port Laveau's businesses are not neutral ground. Newcomers should know whose hospitality they accept — and what it will cost them.'