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

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

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

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

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

On today’s episode, Vince welcomes back Pierre Rausini to discuss reports surrounding the death of El Mencho, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). They discuss what is known about the operation, reported intelligence involvement, and what the leadership change could mean for CJNG and other cartel groups, including the Sinaloa Cartel. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Intro: The Downfall of El Mencho (01:34) Why President Sheinbaum Caved to US Pressure (03:14) Tourism Panic & Evacuating Americans (06:14) US Intelligence & The Master Plan (09:54) The 4-Hour Firefight & CIA Drone Operations (11:51) Who is the New Cartel Boss Taking Over? (15:07) Cartel Retaliation & Negotiating with the Government (17:34) Will Cartels Start Targeting Americans? (20:13) Why Cartel Leaders Are Breathing a Sigh of Relief (22:09) The Real Motive: China, the US, & the Silver Market (28:25) How This Impacts the Sinaloa Cartel (31:10) US SEAL Teams & Covert CIA Ops in Mexico (36:20) US Drug Demand vs. Cartel Supply (39:17) US Military Intervention & Mexican Sovereignty (49:00) Who’s Next on the US Hitlist? Sponsors: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, Vince speaks with Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco about cartel activity in Riverside County, including the arrest connected to the family of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (03:13) Why Riverside County is a Major Hub for Cartels (06:13) First Encounters with Prison Gangs & Cartel Power (08:17) How Border Policies Shift Cartel Operations (12:16) The Cartel's Adaptable Business Model (16:20) Money Laundering: Innocent Employees or Cartel Accomplices? (19:32 ) The Arrest of El Mencho’s Son-in-Law (22:08) Law Enforcement Corruption & Cartel Infiltration (30:19) Do Cartels Bring Violence to Local Communities? (33:46) How the Mexican Mafia & Prison Gangs Control the Streets (36:52) Stopping the Cartels: Why Law Enforcement Must Cooperate (40:34) The Dark Reality of Human Trafficking in Suburbia (44:28) Child Trafficking & The Psychological Toll on Investigators (48:12) A Disturbing New Trend: The Return of Massive Meth Labs (50:20) - Final 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. GHOSTBED: Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLADand 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/ Subscribe to Target Intelligence: PSYOP with Shawn Ryan: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/target-intelligence-psyop-with-shawn-ryan/id1872168845 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Vince welcomes back Pierre Rausini to break down a reported U.S. covert strategy, ‘Operation Seattle,’ putting pressure on Mexico’s cartels, political elites, and financial networks. They go inside the complex web of cartel power, money laundering, and U.S. leverage in Latin America. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:41) The Effects of the Events in Venezuela on the Drug Trade (13:31) Reported Agreement B/T Trump and Sheimbaum to Take Down Cartel Leaders (14:26) Leaked Information of Operation Sierra (15:46) Why Taking Out Kingpins Doesn't Work as a Strategy (17:32) Targeting Money Launderers Is the Key to Disrupting Drug Trade (28:43 ) How Targeting Narco Tunnels Works (33:32) Targeting Tunnel Chokepoints and Not Shipments to Disrupt Operations (40:45) Tactics of Tractor Trailer Operations vs. Tunnels (57:54) The Plaza System - How Narco Tax Collectors Work (01:07:42) What Drug World Could Look Like in 5 Years 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/BORDERLAND and use code BORDERLAND for an extra 15% off sitewide. Subscribe to Target Intelligence: PSYOP with Shawn Ryan: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/target-intelligence-psyop-with-shawn-ryan/id1872168845 Norwood Sawmills: Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, journalist Hels Goethe joins Borderland to discuss reporting from the San Diego–Mexico border, including open corridors, cartel smuggling routes, and footage showing armed men in Mexican military-style uniforms crossing into the U.S., with questions over whether they were Mexican military or CJNG impersonators. They also examine how border intelligence is collected on the ground, the challenges of identification and repatriation, and how global actors — including China — intersect with border security issues. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (02:25) Illegal Crossings, Abandoned IDs at San Diego Border (02:27) Mexican Military or CJNG? (10:24) Evidence of Crossings the Government is Missing (18:41) Armed Men Crossed Same Day as Ryan Wedding Arrest (20:25) Venezuela, China, and Russia (27:51) The Language of the media and Politics (33:16) How ICE's Mission has Evolved (40:38) Humor in Government Agencies' Social Accounts (49:36) The Threat of Terror Cells in the US (50:23) China as the most dangerous country to the US 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/BORDERLAND and use code BORDERLAND for an extra 15% off sitewide. Subscribe to Target Intelligence: PSYOP with Shawn Ryan: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/target-intelligence-psyop-with-shawn-ryan/id1872168845 Norwood Sawmills: Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Vince sits down with investigative journalist Steve Fisher, based in Mexico City, to discuss organized crime and security in Mexico. They examine Fisher’s reporting on a cartel-controlled gold mine in Sonora, U.S.–Mexico security cooperation, recent extraditions, cartel power shifts, and the evolving tactics shaping today’s drug war. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) - Introduction (04:21) - How a Cartel Gold Mine was Reclaimed (17:25)- Why Cartels Maintain Power in Mexico (19:50) - Mexico’s Most Recent Extraditions of Cartel Leaders to US (23:38) - President Sheimbaum’s Approach to Cartels and US Relations (32:12) - Cartels as Integrated Ecomomic and Social Entities (39:48) - The US’s Role and Responsibility in Drug Trafficking Networks (44:35) - Drone Warfare: Cartels’ Most Intimidating Tactic (47:56) - From Special Forces to Training to El Mencho and CJNG’s Evolution 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/BORDERLAND and use code BORDERLAND 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/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices