Borderland: Narcosis with Vincent 'Rocco' Vargas

Today's guest is Sean Williams. Sean is an investigative report whose work has apeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s Magazine, Rolling Stone, GQ, The Daily Beast, The New Republic, Wired, The Economist, The Guardian, Sports Illustrated and many more.

He host The Underworld Podcast, a weekly show investigating global organized crime with journalist Danny Gold.

He recently spent 4 weeks in Havana investigating the situation there.

Borderland: Narcosis is an IRONCLAD Original.

Sponsors:

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Today’s guest is Chris Dalby. He is a journalist and an expert on organized crime and Mexican drug cartels. Chris is the author of World of Crime's Guides to Organized Crime and CJNG: A Quick Guide to Mexico's Deadliest Cartel. He’s also the the director of the World of Crime think tank

You can subscribe to his newsletter at seasonsofcrime.com

Borderland: Narcosis is an IRONCLAD Original

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

01:11 – CJNG Members Arrested in Czech Republic (Weapons Deal)

07:24 – Precursor Chemicals & Spain's Role in Europe

09:18 – Operation Vanilla: Liquid Meth & Cocaine Smuggling

18:52 – The "Super Cartel" & Europe's Drug Trade Structure

21:23 – CJNG Leadership After El Mencho

23:11 – The "Mexican Batman" Vigilante Story

26:47 – US Strategy in Latin America & the Border

30:09 – How Drugs Are Getting Into the US (Trucking, Mail, Liquid Smuggling)

32:52 – Where to Find Chris Dalby

Sponsors:

1st Phorm:
Go to⁠ ⁠https://www.1stphorm.com/borderland⁠⁠ and get free shipping on any orders over $75, free 30 days in the app for new customers, and 110% money back guarantee on all of our products.

Marek Health:
Visit https://marekhealth.com/ and use code IRONCLAD to receive 10% off
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Michael Gannon is a retired DEA Senior Leader and Assistant Special Agent in Charge, who spent 25 years serving various roles within the Drug Enforcement Administration, including undercover operations and uncovering cartel-connected drug networks in cities including Chicago and Miami.

Borderland: Narcosis is an IRONCLAD Original

Sponsors:1st Phorm:Go to⁠ ⁠https://www.1stphorm.com/borderland⁠⁠ and get free shipping on any orders over $75, free 30 days in the app for new customers, and 110% money back guarantee on all of our products.

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Today's guest is Borderland: Dispatches host Katarina Szulc. She's an investigative journalist and tells host Vince 'Rocco' Vargas about her upcoming investigative documentary, the livestreamed murders of influencers Cesar Gastelum and Valeria Márquez, and more.

Borderland: Narcosis is an IRONCLAD Original

Chapters

(00:00) Kat's intro — cartels, organized crime, boots on the ground

(11:59) The governor who denies it, the family who profited

(15:03) The car chase — gun pulled on the highway

(22:21) Mexico: the most dangerous country for journalists

(24:01) Valeria Marquez — murdered live on TikTok

(30:26) Cesar Gastelum — a second influencer killed on livestream

(40:30) Why human trafficking is worse than drug trafficking

(48:54) Closing gut-punch

Sponsors:

1st Phorm:
Go to⁠ ⁠https://www.1stphorm.com/borderland⁠⁠ and get free shipping on any orders over $75, free 30 days in the app for new customers, and 110% money back guarantee on all of our products.

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Sam Cooper is Canadian investigative journalist known for his reporting on cartels, organized crime, money laundering, and political corruption.

He is the founder of The Bureau: https://www.thebureau.news/

Follow him on X: https://x.com/scoopercooper

Borderland: Narcosis is an IRONCLAD Original

Episode Chapters:
(00:00) Intro & Sam Cooper's background(03:34) How long-haul trucking became a cartel pipeline(07:48) The Indian mafia, Khalistan networks & Ryan Wedding(13:50) Border corruption and Vancouver's Delta Port(20:34) Drug flow patterns & Canada's rise as a production hub(28:55) Violence, corruption & the Dubai/Iranian connections(35:55) China's role in global narcotics & the Wuhan lab leak(44:07) Spain migration crisis, Canada's political future & closing thoughts

Sponsors:

1st Phorm:
Go to⁠ ⁠https://www.1stphorm.com/borderland⁠⁠ and get free shipping on any orders over $75, free 30 days in the app for new customers, and 110% money back guarantee on all of our products.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices