Some of the Mex stores have backroom tamale kitchens in defiance of local health codes. Once you’ve been vetted it’s a good source.
One of them I went to was out for the day but the owner made a phone call and told me to wait in the parking lot. 5 minutes later a car pulls up and the woman in the passenger seat had a pot full of tamales on the floor. I bought a dozen from her. Felt like a drug deal in plain sight.
LOL!