Podcast
Borderland: Narcosis with Vincent 'Rocco' Vargas
Hosted by IRONCLAD · EN
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
34episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
A Former Mexican Customs Official on Cartels, Corruption, and U.S. Strikes (with Karlo Villalpando)
2d ago00:57:52Tap to summarizeOn today's episode, Vince sits down with Karlo Villalpando, a 10-year veteran of Mexican Customs and former Port Director in Sonoyta, to discuss the recent surrender of Sinaloa's Secretary of Public Safety to the DEA, the SDNY indictment naming Sinaloa state officials allegedly on the cartel's payroll, and what President Claudia Sheinbaum's government is and isn't doing about it. They also cover the cartel's parallel governance over U.S. companies operating in Mexico and whether U.S. operators are already on the ground. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (03:05) What Americans Get Wrong About the Cartels (05:17) The Cartels Are a Parallel Government in Mexico (12:17) Why Corruption Runs Mexico's Government (16:38) "They Offered Me Cash, Cars, and Properties" — A Cartel Bribe Attempt (21:21) A Sinaloa Cabinet Official Surrenders to the DEA (22:21) Cartels Inside U.S. Companies Operating in Mexico (33:26) Is Sheinbaum's Government Actually Fighting the Cartels? (44:30) Will the U.S. Strike Mexico? And Why U.S. Operators May Already Be There 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. 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
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‘They Don't Want a Helo Landing Outside Their House’” Why Sinaloa Narcos Are Turning Themselves In
1w ago00:50:25Tap to summarizeOn this episode of Borderland: Narcosis, Vince Vargas speaks with retired Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens about the risk of the Northern Border, the state of border security, and threats to national security. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Sponsors: Watch ‘Pressure’ in theaters starting May 29th. 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. 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 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/borderland-narcosis-with-vincent-rocco-vargas/id1730589324 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6w9YAIljxWKXsetl10w9Qp?si=8a5eb53e12b74e3a Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Cartel Smuggling Ops: Former Pablo Escobar Pilot Explains How He Flew Millions in Product to the US
2w ago00:48:11Tap to summarizeToday's guest is Roger Reaves. He spent more than 30 years prison, having escaped five different times. He was heavily involved in smuggling operations for the Medellín Cartel and Pablo Escobar. Is the author of the book Smuggler: https://www.amazon.com/Smuggler-Mr-Roger-Reaves/dp/0692630538 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. 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
Transcribe →3 Russians, 12 Miles Inside California: Inside the San Diego Pipeline Still Wide Open
3w ago00:56:39Tap to summarizeCory Gautereaux, founder of the GOAT Initiative, returns to Borderland to discuss what he and his team are seeing on the San Diego border. He covers a recent incident involving three Russian nationals found 10–12 miles inside California, the discarded passports and documents his team continues to recover, the role of contractors along the border, and the disconnect between federal messaging and what locals are reporting on the ground. Follow Cory: X / Instagram: @TheCoryGoat | @GoatInitiative Support the GOAT Initiative: https://www.thegoatinitiative.org/ Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Intro (01:00 ) 4 Years Later: What's Changed (and What Hasn't) on the San Diego Border (05:50) "Zero Crossings" Was a Lie: 3 Russians, 12 Miles Inside California (08:25) Why Border Patrol Can't Respond: Agents Pulled to Deport Grandmas (13:35) What the GOAT Initiative Actually Does With Captured Intel (15:55) Special Interest Aliens Still Crossing: China, Pakistan, Iran on Turkish Docs (22:25) Mexican Military Crossed 300 Yards Into the U.S. (26:20) California's Sanctuary Loophole: Why $50K Buyers Go Home Free (31:25) The Documents Nobody Will Process: Mauritania, Ethiopia, and the Warlord Problem (42:55) "The Guys With Beards": Why Contractors Are the Most Secure Part of the Border (49:00)Breaking Down the White House "Zero Crossings" Claim 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. 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 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/borderland-narcosis-with-vincent-rocco-vargas/id1730589324 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6w9YAIljxWKXsetl10w9Qp?si=8a5eb53e12b74e3a Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →The Hunt for Iván Guzmán Intensifies: Ex-DEA Boss Who Hunted El Chapo on What Comes Next
May 400:46:43Tap to summarizeOn today's episode, Vince welcomes back former DEA Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan, the man who led the hunt for El Chapo, for a breakdown of where the hunt for Iván goes next, why the Chapitos can't survive the way their father did, and what the U.S. government's new whole-of-government strategy actually looks like from the inside. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:31 The Chapitos on the DEA's radar during the El Chapo case (02:03) Why Iván is the last man standing in Sinaloa (03:13) CJNG fractures and the battle for Sinaloa (07:35) Iván vs. El Chapo: who's more dangerous? (11:21) Sheinbaum's shift and the new U.S.–Mexico collaboration (13:39) How the U.S. really took down El Mencho (16:18) The CJNG power vacuum (17:15) Iván Guzmán: public enemy number one (31:37) How Ray would take down Iván today (33:53) Hunting Iván vs. hunting El Chapo (35:05) China, fentanyl precursors, and the financial side (40:07) How cartels are using technology and social media 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. 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
Transcribe →Hector Berrellez: The CIA, the Cartels, and the Murder of Kiki Camarena
Apr 2700:38:49Tap to summarizeOn today’s episode, Vince sits down with Hector Berrellez, a former DEA agent and lead investigator on the 1985 murder of agent Kiki Camarena. Berrellez breaks down his role in the case, efforts to secure key witnesses, and the investigative tactics used at the time. He also discusses allegations he uncovered, including claims involving the CIA, along with internal pushback and unresolved questions surrounding the case. The conversation also touches on how cartel operations have evolved and Berrellez’s perspective on ongoing drug enforcement efforts. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:31) Taking Over the Kiki Camarena Case (06:06) Discovering CIA Involvement (08:45) The Real Reason Kiki Was Murdered (10:35) Addressing Skeptics and "The Last Narc" (14:08) Orders from Washington and the Cover-up (17:06) High-Level Corruption and Ricky Ross (23:51) Evolution of Cartels and Extermination Camps (33:00) The Future of the Drug War and Fentanyl 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
Transcribe →Sinaloa’s New Structure: Inside a Fragmented Cartel Network
Apr 2001:00:13Tap to summarizeOn today’s episode, Vince welcomes back Johnny Mitchell, a former multi-million dollar marijuana trafficker turned stand-up comedian and host of the podcast The Connect. They break down who the U.S. may target next inside the cartel hierarchy, the rise of El Chapo’s sons, and how a new generation of leaders—including those with American ties—are changing the game. Check out Johnny's podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU69IWUT8m_qPT01AbelXiA Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:12) The War in Mexico & Political Pressure (06:03) Inside the Sinaloa Cartel: Myths vs. Reality (15:51) Faction Analysis: Who is Winning the War? (19:57) The Next High-Value Targets (26:13) Intelligence Gaps & The Safe House Raid (35:43) Violence Against Tourists & Missing Persons (40:00) Can the Drug Trade Be Stopped? (50:13) The Rise of Methamphetamines & Industrial Scaling (53:29) The Colombia Connection: Subs & Mercenaries Sponsors: FIRECRACKER FARM Enter the Firecracker Farms Hot Salts Giveaway from April 20-24, for a chance to win an Ammo Can Hot Salt Kit + handcrafted Walnut Holder: https://app.viralsweep.com/sweeps/full/2c256c-225272?framed=1 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
Transcribe →National Security Concerns at the Southern Border: Jorge Ventura Reports from Tijuana
Apr 1300:45:16Tap to summarizeOn today's episode, Vince welcomes back Jorge Ventura to break down his reporting from Tijuana, including concerns over cartel smuggling routes, migrant movement near the U.S. border, and the broader Iranian national security threat. Check out Jorge's Youtube Channel: @Venturareports Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:30) Investigation: The Islamic Mosque on the Tijuana Border (04:42) Special Interest Aliens Illegally Crossing (07:05) The "Got Away" Problem and Border Patrol Suppression (09:49) Smuggling Routes: Nicaragua and the Role of Mexico (13:48) The Surge of Iranian Nationals During Conflict (15:11) Cartel Involvement: Sinaloa, CJNG, and Money Laundering (20:51) Fentanyl Precursors and the Rise in Chinese Nationals (26:26) The CBP One App and Asylum Loophole Challenges (34:06) Future Reporting: Mexico’s Missing Persons and Kidnapping 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
Transcribe →Silent Takeover: How China’s Infiltration of Canada Threatens U.S. Security
Apr 701:10:25Tap to summarizeOn 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
Transcribe →The Cartel Drone Crisis: CJNG Operators Training Abroad and Targeting U.S. Vulnerabilities
Mar 3000:51:52Tap to summarizeOn 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
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