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
46episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Kentucky’s CJNG Money Laundering Network - The Money Trail Gets Deeper (Jon Griggs Returns)
Jan 2600:50:32Tap to summarizeOn today’s episode, Vince welcomes back Jon Griggs for an update on the CJNG-linked investigation in Kentucky. Jon shares newly discussed details, including alleged money laundering between $4–$10 billion, U.S.-based shell companies, Florida real estate, and international ties. Reported local payments exceeding $200 million and political connections are also examined. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Disclaimer: Listen to Jon’s first episode to catch up on the full story: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/borderland-narcosis-with-vincent-rocco-vargas/id1730589324?i=1000705242380 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3fYE3xf5YgRxNKaBdN5GiU?si=588f3010be204a9a Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (03:38) $10 Billion Money Trail (8:24) Unmasking Shell Companies and Florida Properties (11:58) Torture, Crypto King, and Potential Child Trafficking Victim (17:04) Pre-textural Stops, Political Ties, Unanswered Calls to the AG (25:00) Police and Politicians Possibly Implicated in Money Laundering (32:09) From Dubai to China: The Global Crime Network 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
Transcribe →Venezuelan Dissident Speaks Out: The Fragile Regime, Foreign Influence, & What Maduro’s Capture Means
Jan 1900:52:35Tap to summarizeOn today's episode, Vince speaks with Venezuelan actor and journalist Guillermo Garcia about Venezuela’s political and humanitarian crisis, life under Chávez and Maduro, and the impact of Nicolás Maduro’s capture. Guillermo shares firsthand insight into how the moment is being received by Venezuelans inside and outside the country, along with the broader role of foreign influence and ongoing political polarization. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Intro (01:01) Journalism Suppression in Venezuela (03:08)The Shocking Reactions to Capture of Maduro (10:16)Suffering in Venezuela (12:01)The Collapse of the Venezuela Economy (15:19) Human Rights Violations in Venezuela (17:21) What Comes Next for the People of Venezuela (21:10) Watching Maduro's Capture in Real Time (27:53) The Election That Was Stolen (32:58) There are People Worse than Maduro in Venezuela (37:12)America's Division is Deep (40:52) Maduro is gone, but the regime remains 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
Transcribe →Maduro Captured: Inside the U.S. Direct Action Mission That Shook Venezuela (Ed Calderon Returns)
Jan 1201:01:24Tap to summarizeOn today's episode, Vince Vargas and Ed Calderon break down the recent capture of Nicolás Maduro, the U.S. mission behind it, and the implications for cartels, global powers, and Latin America. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) - Introduction (03:00) - Maduro's Capture and the Aftermath (14:00) - Taking a "Ghost Fleet" Ship (16:45) - American's Threats (27:00) - The Venezuelan Regime Members Still in Power (40:00) - Additional Targets for Military Action (51:00) - Direct Action Against Mexico Coming in the Cartel Wars Sponsors: 1st Phorm: Visit https://www.1stphorm.com/borderland for Free shipping through this link on any orders over $75 GHOSTBED: Go to 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 norwoodsawmills.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →After Venezuela Is Mexico Next? China’s Alliance with Cartels Could Spark Strikes (Jorge Ventura)
Jan 500:52:26Tap to summarizeNOTE: This interview was recorded several days prior to the U.S. operation to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, in which investigative journalist Jorge Ventura predicted would soon happen and possibly set a further precedent for military operations in Mexico. In a shocking new interview with Vincent "Rocco" Vargas on Borderland: Narcosis, investigative journalist and filmmaker Jorge Ventura reveals alliances between the CCP and Mexican cartels to smuggle Chinese operatives into the U.S. Borderland: Narcosis is an IRONCLAD Original Follow Jorge on X: https://x.com/VenturaReport 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. DeleteMe Go to https://www.joindeleteme.com/IRONCLAD and use coupon code IRONCLAD, or scan the QR code Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →A Whistleblower Details Extortion Inside Mexico’s Cattle Economy
Dec 2900:56:42Tap to summarizeOn today's episode, Vince sits down with Manuel Núñez, founder of Palente Mexico, a cattle exporting company operating in one of the most complex and high-risk agricultural environments in the country. Manuel shares firsthand insight into how extortion operates within Mexico’s cattle industry, including how criminal organizations pressure buyers and producers through illegal payment demands. Borderland 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. DeleteMe Go to https://www.joindeleteme.com/IRONCLAD and use coupon code IRONCLAD, or scan the QR code AmmoSquared Visit https://ammosquared.com/ today for a special offer and keep yourself fully stocked. With over 100,000 members and thousands of 5-star ratings, Your readiness is their mission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Are We Witnessing the End of the Sinaloa Cartel?
Aug 11, 202501:00:06Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode, Vince welcomes back Jay Flores, a former cartel operative who worked directly for the Sinaloa Cartel, to break down the organization's current state and its shifting power structure. Drawing from his firsthand experience inside one of the most powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world, Jay discusses internal conflicts, the fallout from recent arrests, and how plea deals and cooperation with law enforcement are disrupting operations. The conversation also explores how political corruption enables cartel activity and what the future may look like for drug trafficking in Mexico and beyond. Since leaving cartel life, Jay has collaborated with law enforcement and intelligence agencies, sharing his knowledge to support anti-cartel efforts and educate the public on the inner workings of organized crime. To learn more about Jay’s work, visit: Website: https://kingpintoeducator.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingpintoeducator Sponsors: 1stPhorm visit: https://www.1stphorm.com/borderland Free shipping through this link on any orders over $75 Free 30 days in the app for new customers (offer comes via email after the purchase) 110% money back guarantee on all of our products. We believe fully in our products. If you don’t love the product or you aren’t getting the results you hoped for, let us know and we’ll give you your money back … plus 10%! AmmoSquared Visit https://ammosquared.com/ today for a special offer and keep yourself fully stocked. With over 100,000 members and thousands of 5-star ratings, Your readiness is their mission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →When Supply Chains Meet Cartels: How U.S. Companies Are Affected by Mexico’s Truck Hijackings
Aug 4, 202501:10:29Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode, Vince sits down with political risk analyst Nathaniel Parish Flannery to examine how organized crime and business intersect in Mexico. They discuss the rise of truck hijackings, how cartels influence local economies, and the risks companies face operating in high-conflict areas. Nathaniel also explains why understanding both business and criminal dynamics is key to making sense of Mexico’s paradox: a country that’s both a top exporter and home to some of the world’s most powerful criminal organizations. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Sponsors: 1stPhorm visit: https://www.1stphorm.com/borderland Free shipping through this link on any orders over $75 Free 30 days in the app for new customers (offer comes via email after the purchase) 110% money back guarantee on all of our products. We believe fully in our products. If you don’t love the product or you aren’t getting the results you hoped for, let us know and we’ll give you your money back … plus 10%! AmmoSquared Visit https://ammosquared.com/ today for a special offer and keep yourself fully stocked. With over 100,000 members and thousands of 5-star ratings, Your readiness is their mission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Canada's Most Violent Cartels: Sinaloa & CJNG's Massive Vancouver Operations (with Sam Cooper)
Jul 28, 202500:54:46Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode, Vince talks to Canadian investigative journalist Sam Cooper about how Canada has quietly become a key hub for transnational organized crime. Cooper explains how Chinese triads, Mexican cartels like Sinaloa and CJNG, and other international networks use Canadian real estate, casinos, and financial systems to launder money and move narcotics. They discuss how encrypted apps, legal loopholes, and limited enforcement have enabled these operations to expand with little resistance. The conversation also explores concerns around foreign interference, national security, and what this means for both U.S. and Canadian border policy. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Sponsors: 1stPhorm visit: https://www.1stphorm.com/borderland Free shipping through this link on any orders over $75 Free 30 days in the app for new customers (offer comes via email after the purchase) 110% money back guarantee on all of our products. We believe fully in our products. If you don’t love the product or you aren’t getting the results you hoped for, let us know and we’ll give you your money back … plus 10%! AmmoSquared Visit https://ammosquared.com/ today for a special offer and keep yourself fully stocked. With over 100,000 members and thousands of 5-star ratings, Your readiness is their mission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →The Dark Connection Between Hezbollah, Drug Cartels & Terrorism
Jul 21, 202500:54:28Tap to summarizeOn today’s episode, counterterrorism expert Dr. Matthew Levitt pulls back the curtain on Hezbollah’s global operations—from its origins as an Iranian-backed militia to its drug trafficking and money laundering activities across Latin America. Levitt, a former FBI analyst and Treasury official, is one of the world’s leading experts on Hezbollah. As Director of the Counterterrorism and Intelligence Program at The Washington Institute, he explains how Hezbollah targets Americans, exploits free trade zones, and partners with drug cartels to fund terror. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Sponsors: 1stPhorm visit: https://www.1stphorm.com/borderland Free shipping through this link on any orders over $75 Free 30 days in the app for new customers (offer comes via email after the purchase) 110% money back guarantee on all of our products. We believe fully in our products. If you don’t love the product or you aren’t getting the results you hoped for, let us know and we’ll give you your money back … plus 10%! AmmoSquared Visit https://ammosquared.com/ today for a special offer and keep yourself fully stocked. With over 100,000 members and thousands of 5-star ratings, Your readiness is their mission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →America’s Open Threat: Inside the Cartel’s Coordinated Terror Smuggling Operation
Jul 14, 202501:06:28Tap to summarizeOn this week's episode, Vince sits down with former Green Beret Scott Mann to examine the growing intersection between cartel violence and terrorist tactics. Drawing from his Special Forces background and work on Operation Pineapple Express, Scott breaks down how Mexican cartels are evolving into insurgent-style networks with increasing reach and sophistication. The conversation explores the blurred lines between organized crime and terrorism, the vulnerabilities at the U.S. border, and the importance of identifying early warning signs in both rural and urban communities. Scott also reflects on lessons learned during the Afghanistan withdrawal, the vetting of allies, and how those experiences relate to the current challenges facing U.S. national security. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Sponsors: 1stPhorm visit: https://www.1stphorm.com/borderland Free shipping through this link on any orders over $75 Free 30 days in the app for new customers (offer comes via email after purchase) 110% money-back guarantee on all of our products. We believe fully in our products. If you don’t love the product or you aren’t getting the results you hoped for, let us know and we’ll give you your money back … plus 10%! AmmoSquared Visit https://ammosquared.com/ today for a special offer and keep yourself fully stocked. With over 100,000 members and thousands of 5-star ratings, Your readiness is their mission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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