Borderland: Narcosis with Vincent 'Rocco' Vargas

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 drug trade, unpacking the city's dark narco history. The conversation also explores how drug legalization could be the key to ending the drug war and addressing the violence that continues to plague many nations.Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 States. Brunner, an expert in Latin American geopolitics and organized crime, breaks down the group’s rapid expansion, its deepening entrenchment in the U.S., and the long-term security risks it poses.Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 border enforcement. They delve into the systemic violations of migrants’ rights, with a focus on the widespread sexual violence and exploitation women endure along their journeys, often at the hands of cartels and corrupt officials. The conversation also examines how the U.S. immigration system measures up in terms of safety and integrity.Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Producer's Note: This interview was recorded prior to official election resultsOn today's episode, Vince sits down with Benjamin T. Smith, author of The Dope: The Real History of the Mexican Drug Trade to discuss the history and evolution of the Mexican drug trade. Benjamin explains how historical trade routes like the Silk Road laid the groundwork for the global drug trade, the impact of political shifts and corruption in Mexico and the U.S., and how synthetic drugs like meth and fentanyl are transforming cartel operations. They also discuss the unintended consequences of U.S. anti-drug policies, the militarization of cartels and governments, and what it would take to break the economic dependence on the drug trade.Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 effects on tribal lands, including Chinese smuggling operations, the rise of tainted cannabis laced with dangerous substances, and the broader impacts these criminal activities have on tribal communities and the environment.John's book Hidden War: How Special Operations Game Wardens Are Reclaiming America's Wildlands From The Drug Cartels 2nd. Edition is available Now.Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, Vince sits down with Emmy award winning Mexican investigative journalist, author, and editor, Peniley Ramirez.Peniley is known for her in-depth reporting on organized crime, corruption, and government accountability in Mexico and the United States. Her latest book, Los Millonarios de la Guerra (The Millionaires of War), brings to light the corruption of Genero Garcia Luna - a former high-ranking Mexican official who worked with President Obama and President Trump on anti-cartel efforts while accepting bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel. He eventually was arrested in 2019 and sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2024. Because of Peniley's reporting, several official investigations of politicians and business people in the U.S. and Latin America have taken place in the last 5 years.Borderland is an IRONCLAD OriginalSponsors: MTNTOUGH FITNESSGo to: https://mtntough.com/ and download the MTNTOUGH app today, and use code “BORDERLAND” To get a 14-day free trial and one month free! That’s six weeks of MTNTOUGH at no costBorn PrimitiveTactical ad -Shop Born Primitive Tactical at https://bornprimitivetactical.comSavage 1 ads - Shop the New Savage 1 at https://bornprimitive.com/collections/savage-1-collection Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 security, organized crime, and illicit economies. She is the author of several books, including Narco Noir: Mexico’s Cartels, Cops, and Corruption and Shooting Up: Counterinsurgency and the War on Drugs.In their conversation, Vince and Vanda discuss China’s role in the production and export of fentanyl precursor chemicals, the complexities of its regulatory policies, and whether fentanyl could be used as a form of asymmetrical warfare against the United States.Interested in more of Vanda's Work:The Sinaloa cartel arrests: Stunning tactical success, strategic blunder?https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-sinaloa-cartel-arrests-stunning-tactical-success-strategic-blunder/Mexico, López Obrador, and Sheinbaum’s presidential victoryhttps://www.brookings.edu/articles/mexico-lopez-obrador-and-sheinbaums-presidential-victory/The limits of renewed US-China counternarcotics cooperation (testimony)https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-limits-of-renewed-us-china-counternarcotics-cooperation/ How Mexico’s Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación ruleshttps://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-mexicos-cartel-jalisco-nueva-generacion-rules/How the Sinaloa Cartel ruleshttps://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-the-sinaloa-cartel-rules/Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original.Sentinel Foundation:To find out more about their efforts to help hurricane victims, and their anti-child exploitation efforts, and see how you can help, check out at foundationsentinel.orgSponsors:MTNTOUGH FITNESSGo to: https://mtntough.com/ and download the MTNTOUGH app today, and use code “BORDERLAND” To get a 14-day free trial and one month free! That’s six weeks of MTNTOUGH at no costBorn Primitive:Shop Born Primitive Tactical at BornPrimitive.com: LINK: https://bornprimitivetactical.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 security. They unravel the origins of the border wall, tracing it back to the Clinton era before it became a political flashpoint under the Trump administration. Together, they challenge the widespread misconceptions surrounding "kids in cages" and lay bare the complexities of securing the U.S.-Mexico border.Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Sentinel Foundation:To find out more about their efforts to help hurricane victims, and their anti-child exploitation efforts, and see how you can help, check out at foundationsentinel.orgSPONSORS:MTNTOUGH FITNESSGo to: https://mtntough.com/ and download the MTNTOUGH app today, and use code “BORDERLAND” To get a 14-day free trial and one month free! That’s six weeks of MTNTOUGH at no cost.BORN PRIMITIVEBorn Primitive has pledged $2.5 million to wipe out medical debt for veterans across the country, with a goal of reaching $5 million by Veterans Day. From November 8th to November 11th, all sales from their website will go directly toward this mission.To learn more about Born Primitive and the Veteran’s day campaign, you can shop the cause at www.bornprimitive.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 groups, such as Hamas, within Mexico's cartel networks, and the complex, growing ties between these organizations and U.S. border vulnerabilities.They also delve into the violent reach of the Tren de Aragua gang as it infiltrates deeper into North America, discuss the impacts of Mexico's new president on border security, and examine the cartel wars that are currently reshaping Sinaloa, Mexico.Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original SPONSORS:MTNTOUGH FITNESSGo to: https://mtntough.com/ and download the MTNTOUGH app today, and use code “BORDERLAND” To get a 14-day free trial and one month free! That’s six weeks of MTNTOUGH at no cost. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, Vince takes on questions and comments from Borderland listeners, and offers his own insights on topics including U.S. border policy, cartel influence, and the impact of drug legalization.Borderland is an IRONCLAD OriginalSPONSORS:MTNTOUGH FITNESSGo to: https://mtntough.com/ and download the MTNTOUGH app today, and use code “BORDERLAND” To get a 14-day free trial and one month free! That’s six weeks of MTNTOUGH at no cost. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices