Borderland: Narcosis with Vincent 'Rocco' Vargas

On today's episode, Ex-Canadian intelligence officer Scott McGregor breaks down how cartels and the Chinese Communist Party have established networks in Canada, including Vancouver, and the risks they pose to North American security.

To purchase Scott's book, The Mosaic Effect: How the Chinese Communist Party Started a Hybrid War in America's Backyard, visit: https://www.amazon.com/Mosaic-Effect-Communist-Americas-Backyard/dp/0888903162

Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original

Chapters:

(00:00) Introduction

(03:14) The Cartel Threat at the Canadian Border 

(13:24) Transnational Narco-Terrorism & Political Infiltration 

(21:17) Understanding "Hybrid Warfare.” 

(26:24) Mega-Banks, Casinos, & Unchecked Money Laundering 

(35:43 ) Is Canada Losing Control to Organized Crime? 

(45:57) The Direct Threat to U.S. National Security 

(51:17 ) Exposing the Truth: Backlash & Death Threats 

(02:03) The Next 5 Years: Will Canada Face a Crisis?

Sponsors:

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GHOSTBED: 

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Norwood Sawmills:

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On today's episode, Vince sits down with “Matchmaker,” a U.S. veteran with the Wolverines, a network of operators training on the frontlines in Ukraine. They break down the evolving world of drone warfare—from cheap, commercially available drones turned into deadly weapons to how cartels and other actors are learning these tactics, creating a growing threat to U.S. border security.

Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original

Chapters:

(00:00) Introduction

(04:09) Fighting in Ukraine & Surviving Russian Assassins

(09:28) Are Mexican Cartels Learning Drone Warfare in Ukraine?

(13:18) The Danger of Rogue Networks in South America

(21:25) Cartel Drone Evolution & The "Spider Web" Attack

(28:49) Drone Tech 101: Kinetic, ISR, & Agricultural Drones

(37:31) Global Deployments & Why Border Security is Crucial

(42:10) Will Cartels Attack the US? & A $20 Defense Tool

(45:29) Vetting Foreign Fighters & How to Support the Wolverines

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.

GHOSTBED:

Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide.

Norwood Sawmills:

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On today’s episode, Vince welcomes back Katarina, host of Borderland: Dispatches, who shares her first-hand reporting from the site of El Mencho’s operation in Mexico. They discuss the evidence she found, the sequence of events, and the aftermath, including how the operation has impacted Mexican authorities, cartel dynamics, and local communities.

Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original

Chapters:
00:00 - Intro & The Rumors Around El Mencho's Death
(03:11) What Really Happened During the Raid?
(09:49) Fake Evidence, Missing Ledgers & The Honeypot Theory
(16:41) Kat Investigates the Open Crime Scene
(27:20) Wild Transport Theories & The Airplane Death
(31:48) The Future of CJNG & The Sinaloa Cartel
(38:43) Mexican Political Fallout & Spillover Threats
(46:44) US Special Forces & Global Drug Operations
(54:15) Foreign Mercenaries in Ukraine & Outro

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.

GHOSTBED:
Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide.

Norwood Sawmills:
Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=ironclad&utm_campaign=ironclad

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On today's episode, Ed Calderon returns to Borderland: Narcosis to examine the operation that reportedly killed CJNG leader El Mencho. The conversation covers the details of the raid, inconsistencies in the official narrative, cartel responses across Mexico, and potential power shifts inside CJNG.

Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original

Chapters:

(00:00 ) Intro

(01:00) Deep Dive: The Raid on El Mencho’s Compound

(03:50) How the Mexican Army Found Him

(05:51) Suspicious Evidence: Why the Scene Doesn't Add Up

(08:45) Secret Operations & Government Incompetence

(11:15) The Truth: Was the Death Faked?

(13:41) Cartel Power Vacuum: Who Takes Control?

(18:49) Forensic Proof: The Body and the Funeral

(23:23) The Secret Ledger System

(28:02) US Involvement: Delta, Seals, and High-Altitude Jumps

(31:21) The Next Targets: Chapo’s Sons and Remaining Bosses

(37:54) Insurgency Risk: The Future of Mexican Violence

(42:56) Is Mexico Safe for Travel Right Now?

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.

GHOSTBED:

Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide.

Norwood Sawmills:

Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/

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On today’s episode, Vince welcomes back Samuel Cooper, Canadian journalist, author, and national security expert who has reported extensively on transnational crime, Mexican cartels, and international intelligence operations. They dive into the recent takedown of El Mencho, the rise of cartel influence in Canada, and what these shifts mean for North America’s security landscape.

Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original

Chapters:

(00:00) Intro: The Convergence of Crime in Canada

(01:03) The Death of El Mencho & Global Cartel Takedowns

(03:16) Cartel Operations & Police Corruption in Canada

(07:21) The Global Web: Iran, China, & Narco-Terrorism

(10:38) 4D Chess: US Strategy & Securing Critical Minerals

(17:05) Cognitive Warfare & US-Canada Relations

(21:40) Why Canada is the Next Big Security Threat

(26:35) The Northern Border Crisis & Human Smuggling

(29:41) Ryan Wedding Update & Potential Fallout

(34:24) Mexican President Sheinbaum & US Intelligence

(38:13) Do the Mexican People Support US Intervention?

(40:31) Corrupt Officials & El Mencho's Financial Networks

(43:19) Chinese Money Laundering & The Trudeau Meeting

(47:12) Future Threats: Drone Warfare & Chinese Bio-Labs

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.

GHOSTBED:

Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide.

Norwood Sawmills:

Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/

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