Borderland: Narcosis with Vincent 'Rocco' Vargas
IRONCLAD
New Episodes Every Monday. An unfiltered look at real stories from America's Southern Border. Each week, special operations combat veteran, actor, writer, and veteran BORSTAR Agent Vincent “Rocco” Vargas sits down with guests to discuss the ruthless forces driving mass migration—organized crime.This season, Borderland: Narcosis takes an unfiltered look at the criminal networks fueling the crisis, from human trafficking and the drug trade to extortion and corruption embedded at every level of society. An IRONCLAD Original
“I Resigned Over the Corruption” — Ex-CDCR Lieutenant on California Prison Gangs, Cartels & the Crisis
On today’s episode, Vince sits down with former California corrections lieutenant Hector Bravo to break down what he says is a growing crisis inside the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).<...
On today’s episode, Vince sits down with Matthew Hedger—a former CIA operative and intelligence advisor with extensive experience in undercover operations and transnational criminal investigations. Matthew shares his...
CJNG: The Next ISIS? Ex-Special Forces, China Threat & More | Q&A with Vince and Katarina
On today's episode, Vince and Borderland: Dispatches host Katarina Szulc answer audience questions about the state of cartel violence and U.S. border security. They explore comparisons between CJNG and terrorist orga...
On this special Borderland: Narcosis interview, Vince sits down with NewsNation's Jorge Ventura to break down the chaos unfolding in Los Angeles. What began as peaceful protests has spiraled into violent clashes, prop...
The Global Drug Web: Sinaloa Submarines, Triads, and the Expanding Fentanyl Crisis from New Zealand to the Pacific
On today’s episode, Vince sits down with Sean Williams, investigative journalist and host of The Underworld Podcast, to discuss the explosive growth of global drug cartels. They explore New Zealand’s soaring cocaine u...
Jason Owens on Serving as Border Patrol Chief Under Biden and Today’s Security Threats
On today's episode, Vince speaks with Jason D. Owens, former Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol under the Biden administration. Owens discusses his career in the Border Patrol, the challenges faced during his tenure, an...
How U.S. Bank Policy, A.I., and Canada’s Emerging Role Are Fueling the Cartel Economy (Steven Dudley Returns)
On today’s episode, Vince welcomes back Steven Dudley, co-founder of Insight Crime and one of the leading voices on Latin American organized crime. They unpack the arrest of a top Sinaloa Cartel leader in Oregon—the l...
Mexico Rejects U.S. Help and Cartels Exploit Canada’s Weakness (Katarina Szulc returns)
On today’s episode, Vince welcomes back investigative journalist Katarina Szulc for a conversation on the evolving dynamics of U.S.-Mexico relations and cartel activity across North America. They discuss Mexic...
America’s Blindspots? Are Tariffs Fueling Organized Crime and What Did We Miss About Tren de Aragua?
On today's episode, Vince welcomes back crime analyst and journalist Chris Dalby to examine how economic policies like tariffs can unintentionally empower cartels. They unpack the evolving tactics of criminal...
Project Thor: It Was Working Against Cartels—So the Government Shut It Down (Pete Forcelli Returns)
On today's episode, Vince welcomes back former ATF Deputy Assistant Director and Operation Fast and Furious whistleblower, Pete Forcelli, to discuss Project Thor. Project Thor was a multi-agency initiative le...
Kentucky's MASSIVE CJNG Money Laundering Operation? Did a Cattle Farm Help Launder Cartel Billions?
To read a copy of the death investigation, CLICK: HERE In this episode of Borderland: NARCOSIS, Vince sits down with Jon Griggs to discuss an ongoing federal investigation into a cattle farm Ponzi s...
How Chinese Organized Crime is Shaping America's Black Markets (Ray Donovan Returns)
On today’s episode, Vince welcomes back Ray Donovan, former DEA Chief of Operations with more than 26 years of experience targeting global criminal organizations. Together, they unpack what the FTO (Foreign Terrorist...
Delta Force Veteran Breaks Down What It Means to Fight Cartels as Terrorists (with Brent Tucker)
On today’s episode, Vince sits down with Brent Tucker, a former Green Beret and Delta Force operator with over 20 years of experience in U.S. Special Operations. They discuss what a U.S. military resp...
CIA Whistleblower Exposes the Agency’s Role in the Drug Trade (with John Kiriakou)
On today's episode, Vince sits down with John Kiriakou, a former CIA officer and whistleblower, to uncover the shocking truths behind the U.S. government's involvement in the war on drugs. Kiriakou, who spent over a d...
Vanished by Cartels – The Extermination Camps and Collectives Fighting for Justice (with Ceci Flores and Adriana Jones)
Disclaimer: In this episode, our guest Ceci speaks only Spanish. To ensure her story reaches a wider audience, Adriana Jones provides real-time translation. While we have made every effort to maintain the accuracy and...
Jay Flores Returns: Setting the Record Straight on Cartels and Their Operations
In this episode, Jay Flores returns to set the record straight on drug cartels and trafficking. As former drug trafficker with firsthand experience in the world of organized crime, Jay discusses the realities of carte...
The Cartel-American Military Connection and Trump’s Strategy with Mexico" (Pierre Rausini Returns)
On today’s episode, Vince welcomes back former L.A. kingpin Pierre Rausini to address feedback from his last appearance and dive deeper into the ties between the Sinaloa Cartel and the American military. Pierre discus...
On today’s bonus episode, Vince talks to Scott Higham, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter with The Washington Post, renowned for exposing corporate corruption, criminal networks, and critical public safet...
Inside the Sinaloa Cartel's American Operation: The Flores Twins- Part 1 (with Margarito "Jay" Flores)
On today's episode, Vince sits down with former Sinaloa cartel kingpin turned educator, Margarito "Jay" Flores. Margarito Flores Jr. as known as “Jay”, grew up in Chicago, where he and his twin brothe...
Wisconsin's Cartel Gun Operation: How CJNG Got Their Hands on America's Most Lethal Weapons
On today's episode, Vince Vargas sits down with Sarah Kinosian, the investigative journalist behind the revealing Reuters article, How a Factory City in Wisconsin Fed Military-Grade Weapons to a Mexican Cartel. Sarah...
How Cartels Actually Operate in America: Drug Trafficking, Sicario's, and High-Ranking Members
On today's episode, Vince sits down with Pierre Rausini. Pierre Rausini is an author and former Los Angeles kingpin. He was charged with operating a criminal enterprise under the Federal Drug Kingpin Statute and...
BONUS: Cartel De Noreste’s PR Stunt, Trump’s Pressure on Sheinbaum, and and Cartels on the Northern Border (Katarina Szulc Returns)
On this bonus episode, Vince welcomes back Katarina Szulc to discuss the recent propaganda video from Cartel De Noreste, claiming to reject violence while continuing their criminal activities. They dive into Trump’s p...
New Era of Cartel War: 10,000 Troops Deployed, Drone Attacks & Sinaloa Cartel Collapse (Ed Calderon Returns)
On today's episode, Vince welcomes back security expert and former Mexican law enforcement officer Ed Calderon to discuss Claudia Sheinbaum’s decision to send 10,000 Mexican troops to the U.S. border. They also explor...
The Cartel War Just Changed: What the FTO Label Means for Mexico and America
On today’s episode, Vince sits down with investigative journalist Katarina Szulc to discuss the escalating cartel violence in Mexico and the impact of the U.S. officially designating cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organ...
Former Drug Trafficker Details Life Working for the Cartels (with Luis "El Senador" Navia and Jesse Fink)
On today’s episode, Vince sits down with Luis Navia, a former Cuban-American drug trafficker who played a central role in the international cocaine trade for over 25 years, and Jesse Fink, the author who chronicled Lu...
On today's episode, Vince responds to audience questions and comments, discussing the future of the war on drugs, the role of mass deportations, and the impact of drug legalization. He also shares insights on what the...
NewsNation’s Jorge Ventura: What’s Next for the Border, Cartels, and Mass Deportations
On today’s episode, Vince sits down with NewsNation’s Jorge Ventura to explore his career reporting on the U.S.-Mexico border, including firsthand accounts of covering cartel operations. They dive into what changes co...
"No One’s Coming To Save Us" - Brutal Cartel Attack Turned a Woman's Life Into War
On today's episode, Vince sits down with Adriana Jones, a woman whose life was forever changed when her sister and young nephews were murdered in an attack by a Mexican cartel. She discusses how this tragedy led her t...
On today’s episode, Vince sits down with TJ English, author of The Last Kilo: Willy Falcon and the Cocaine Empire That Seduced America. They discuss Miami's explosive cocaine boom and its lasting impact on the d...
The Tren de Aragua Problem in the U.S. Is Growing—and It Isn’t Going Away
In this episode of Borderland, Vince Vargas speaks with Daniel Brunner, a 29-year veteran of the FBI and U.S. Navy, to discuss the continued rise of the Tren de Aragua trasnational crime organization in the United Sta...
On today's episode, Vince sits down with Mexican researcher and sociologist Alethia Fernández de la Reguera to discuss the militarization of Mexico’s northern and southern borders and the corruption entrenched in bord...
The Secret Deals Between Governments and Cartels: Kingpins, Migrants and Cocaine
Producer's Note: This interview was recorded prior to official election results On today's episode, Vince sits down with Benjamin T. Smith, author of The Dope: The Real History of the Mexican Drug Trade to disc...
America’s Cannabis Crisis: Cartels, Chinese Chemicals, and Corruption (John Nores Returns)
On today's episode, Vince welcomes back John Nores, a retired special operations game warden and expert in combating environmental and public safety crimes. They discuss cartel activity in the United States and its ef...
Is China Using Fentanyl as a Weapon of Asymmetrical Warfare Against America?
Producer's note: This episode was recorded prior to Presidential elections. On today's episode, Vince is joined by Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and expert on national securit...
Trump, Obama, & Clinton: Border Wall and Immigration Policy Similarities and Differences (with Chief Rodney Scott)
Producer's note: This interview was conducted one week prior to the 2024 Presidential elections. On today's episode, former Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott joins Vince to discuss the realities of border securi...
A Perfect Storm of Border Threats: Tren de Aragua, Sinaloa, and Hamas (Jaeson Jones Returns)
On today's Borderland, Vince welcomes back intelligence expert Jaeson Jones for an in-depth look at the latest developments in the border crisis. Together, they explore the expanding influence of Middle Eastern terror...
Unpacking the Border Crisis: Vince Vargas Tackles Your Questions and Comments
What would Vince change if he were running the Border Patrol? Could legalizing drugs dismantle cartel power? And should the U.S. bring the fight against cartels to American soil? In this special Q&A episode, Vin...
National Security Challenges: Ukraine, Israel, and America's Open Border (with Mike Baker)
Today on Borderland, Vince sits down with former CIA covert operations officer and host of The President's Daily Brief podcast, Mike Baker. Mike has over 15 years of experience in counterterrorism, co...
Peter Zeihan: Mexico’s President, Cartel Power Shifts, & the US Border Crisis
In this episode of Borderland, Vince sits down with renowned geopolitical strategist Peter Zeihan to dive into the complex realities of immigration, U.S. policy, and Mexico's uncertain future. Peter b...
The Media's Role in Shaping the Border Crisis (with PSYOP Specialist Keith Newton)
On this episode of Borderland, Vince chats with Keith Newton, a PSYOP specialist, about how Information Operations (IO) campaigns work and the media’s role in shaping narratives. They explore how news outlets align st...
Inside the Sinaloa Cartel Civil War: Mayos vs. Chapitos (with Ioan Grillo)
On today's episode, Vince sits down with journalist, writer, producer, and podcast host Ioan Grillo. Ioan has been covering the drug cartels in Latin America since 2001, and has recently been on the g...
The Ultra-Violent Rise and Dramatic Fall of Ms-13 - Reasonable Fear Ep. 4
A 4-PART BORDERLAND SPECIAL SERIES: EPISODE 4: THE ULTRA-VIOLENT RISE AND DRAMATIC FALL OF MS-13 On the southern border, there is a legal concept known as “reasonable fear.” If an asylum officer determines...
The Cartel that Infiltrated Americans' Living Rooms - Reasonable Fear Ep. 3
A 4-PART BORDERLAND SPECIAL SERIES: EPISODE 3: CJNG: THE CARTEL IN AMERICA'S LIVING ROOMS On the southern border, there is a legal concept known as “reasonable fear.” If an asylum officer determines that a...
Narco Cult? Inside the Real Santa Muerte Religious Movement - Reasonable Fear Ep. 2
A 4-PART BORDERLAND SPECIAL SERIES: EPISODE 2: THE CULT OF SANTA MUERTE On the southern border, there is a legal concept known as “reasonable fear.” If an asylum officer determines that a migrant has a “re...
How Chinese Organized Crime Fuels Cartel Profits and Threatens U.S. Security (with Former DEA Chief of Operations, Ray Donovan)
In this episode of Borderland, Vince sits down with former DEA Chief of Operations, Ray Donovan, to break down the connection between China and Mexico in the fentanyl trade. They talk about how Chinese suppliers are f...
How Foreign Spies Are Exploiting U.S. Vulnerabilities (with EverydaySpy's Andrew Bustamante)
Today on Borderland, Vince sits down with former CIA Intelligence Officer, Andrew Bustamante. Andrew is known for his expertise in espionage, international relations, and leadership. <...
The Violent Aftermath of the Arrest of Sinaloa Cartel Leader 'El Mayo' (with Ed Calderon)
Today on Borderland, Vince sits down with former Mexican law enforcement officer and security consultant, Ed Calderon. Born in Tijuana, Ed spent years in law enforcement with an operations group speci...
A Retired Border Patrol Chief's Take on Immigration Policy, Patrol Misconceptions, and the Sinaloa Arrests
Today on Borderland, Vince talks to retired Border Patrol Chief, Victor Manjarrez. Victor served more than 20 years in the Border Patrol in roles both in the field and in headquarters,...
How the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) Uses Extreme Violence and Disinformation to Gain Power
In today's episode of Borderland, Vince talks to Chris Dalby, a journalist and expert on the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Chris dives deep into the CJNG's nuanced media tactics and how they use it t...
Border Patrol Overload: A National Security Crisis (with Former ICE Director Thomas Homan)
Today on Borderland, Vince is joined by former border patrol agent and ICE Director, Tom Homan. Tom joined the Immigration and Naturalization Service in 1984, later becoming a Border Patro...
Inside Cartel Operations at the US/Mexico Border (with Border Journalist Luis Chaparro)
On today's Borderland, Vince talks to renowned journalist, Luis Chaparro. Luis is based on the U.S./Mexico border, and has over 15 years of experience in reporting on Mexican organized cri...
Today Vince takes a deep dive into the fast and furious gun-running scandal with guest Pete Forcelli. He is widely known as a whistleblower for the Operation Fast and Furious scandal and wrote the book The...
Cartels Infiltrating Reservations and Operating as Organized Crime Institutions (with Matthew Thomas)
Today's guest is Matthew Thomas, Chief Deputy of the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona. Throughout his career, he has served in several specialty units—Detention, Patrol, Traffic, Training, the Police...
On today's Borderland, Vince dives deeper into the current situation at the Southern Border by talking to two bordertown sheriffs. Both men previously appeared on an episode centered on Operation Lone Star (w...
Mega Prisons, Violence & MS13: The Truth About El Salvador’s Controversial Gang Crackdown
Today is the first in a two-part series on BORDERLAND, examining the MS13 gang and the massive crackdown taking place in El Salvador. This week, we talk with Alex Papadovassilakis and Steven Dudley of the organization...
Cartels, Fentanyl, and Smuggling: An Emergency at the Border (with Jaeson Jones)
Today on Borderland, Vince sits down with cartel and border security expert and Newsmax border correspondent, Jaeson Jones, who reveals the shocking situation on the Southern Border including the prevalence o...
An Immigration Attorney & Border Patrol Vet. Sound Off on the Border Crisis (with J. J. Mulligan Sepulveda)
Today on Borderland, Vincent “Rocco” Vargas sits down with immigration attorney and the author of the book No Human Is Illegal: An Attorney on the Front Lines of the Immigration War, J. J. Mulligan Sepulveda...
