Borderland: Dispatches with Katarina Szulc

This weekend, Borderland: Dispatches host Katarina Szulc was able to connect with acclaimed cartel investigative reporter Ioan Grillo, from the border of Columbia and Venezuela, who gave an inside look at the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. In this special episode of Borderland: Dispatches, Ioan Grillo and Katarina talk about what the situation is like on the ground, what comes nex...

Katarina looks back at some of the biggest cartel stories of the year and gives updates about the current war on drugs. Borderland: Dispatches with Katarina Szulc is an IRONCLAD Original SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/borderland-dispatches-with-katarina-szulc/id1814920364 SUBSCRIBE ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/7EvQ4S8NnDqqSdCRhZvPaI?si=ea91d3147b6b46bc Learn...

What does a spike in drug seizures on the southern border tell us about the state of the crackdown on cartels. Katarina Szulc breaks down the data. SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/borderland-dispatches-with-katarina-szulc/id1814920364 SUBSCRIBE ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/7EvQ4S8NnDqqSdCRhZvPaI?si=ea91d3147b6b46bc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega...

Watch Katarina's Discoveries at the San Diego border at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVQTfAdIs00 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Katarina discusses how criminal networks are exploiting the global live-animal export industry as a new cover for drug trafficking. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Sponsors: 1stPhorm 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. AmmoS...

On today’s episode, Katarina breaks down the case of Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder now wanted by U.S. authorities. She outlines the federal indictment alleging his role in the killing of a cooperating witness in Medellín, his reported ties to the Sinaloa cartel, the drug trafficking network described by investigators, and why the FBI has placed him on its 10 Most Wanted list with a $1...

Producer's Note: While this episode is available on all podcast feeds, it is best experienced as a video either on Spotify or at https://www.youtube.com/@thisisironclad On today's episode, Katarina goes inside a clandestine rehab center in Tijuana, where residents — including addicts, deportees, and mental health patients — are held against their will. A rare look at a facility few outsiders ever...

Coming soon on Borderland: Dispatches, Katarina goes inside a clandestine rehab center in Tijuana, where residents — including addicts, deportees, and mental health patients — are held against their will. A rare look at a facility few outsiders ever see. Full episode drops November 20th. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, DEA legend Steve Murphy — the man who hunted Pablo Escobar — sits down with Katarina to break down the U.S. Navy’s deadly strikes on cartel drug boats.  Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Buy Target Intelligence: PSYOP with Shawn Ryan: http://psyopshow.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Katarina discusses the deadly U.S. boat strike in the Pacific Ocean that killed 14 suspected cartel smugglers. The operation marks a sharp escalation in America’s maritime campaign against drug trafficking — one that started with strikes near Venezuela and is now moving closer to Mexico’s coast.  Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original  Buy Target Intelligence: PSYOP with Shawn Ryan...

On today’s episode, Katarina breaks down a Reuters report on how Mexican cartels used a “dark fleet” of tankers to traffic billions in stolen fuel — uncovering corruption from Mexico’s ports all the way to U.S. companies. To access the full report, visit: https://www.reuters.com/investigations/how-dark-fleet-tankers-helped-mexican-cartel-build-fuel-smuggling-empire-2025-10-22/ Borderland is an IRO...

On today’s episode, Katarina breaks down recent U.S. operations in Venezuela, including CIA-authorized strikes on narcotraffickers and paramilitary networks aligned with Nicolás Maduro, which have resulted in 27 reported deaths. She examines the lack of public confirmation about those targeted and how these actions differ from past counter-narcotics operations. Katarina also reviews a DHS warning...

This episode is presented by Ground News. Subscribe now and get 40% off the VANTAGE plan by going to https://www.groundnews.com/ironclad or by using the QR code. On today’s episode, Katarina breaks down the recent “narco-banners” in Mexico that allegedly threaten Americans visiting or living south of the border. Are these real cartel warnings—or something else entirely? Katarina explains why this...

This episode is presented by Ground News. Subscribe now and get 40% off the VANTAGE plan by going to https://www.groundnews.com/ironclad or by using the QR code.  On today’s episode, Katarina travels to Ciudad Juárez to investigate the case of Leslie Godínez, a young mother who disappeared while seven months pregnant and was later found dead. Reports have linked her death to a clandestine cesarean...

This episode is presented by Ground News. Subscribe now and get 40% off the VANTAGE plan by going to https://www.groundnews.com/ironclad On today’s episode, Katarina discusses the discovery of a 25-foot tunnel beneath a vape shop in Laredo, Texas, that investigators believe may be connected to cartel activity. During a joint operation, the DEA and local law enforcement raided the Kush Smoke Empori...

Sponsors:  Ground News Subscribe now and get 40% off the VANTAGE plan by going to https://www.groundnews.com/ironclad On today’s episode, Katarina breaks down the brutal cartel-style execution of Mexican TikTok influencer Esmeralda Ferrer Garibay, her husband, and their two children. Found wrapped in plastic and abandoned in a pickup truck in Guadalajara, their murders raise questions about the da...

Sponsors:  Ground News Subscribe now and get 40% off the VANTAGE plan by going to ⁠https://www.groundnews.com/ironclad On today’s episode, Katarina follows up on her report about the CJNG cartel targeting pregnant women. Stefano Ritondale from @AllSourceNews  joins to provide additional details on the buyers involved in this illicit trade. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original  Learn more about your...

Sponsors: Ground News Subscribe now and get 40% off the VANTAGE plan by going to ⁠https://www.groundnews.com/ironclad⁠ In this episode, Katarina joins a Gary, Indiana police officer on patrol along the major highways that connect Illinois and Indiana—routes that have become critical corridors for drug trafficking across the Midwest. Together, they explore how cartels move narcotics through America...

Sponsors:  Ground News Subscribe now and get 40% off the VANTAGE plan by going to ⁠https://www.groundnews.com/ironclad On today’s episode, Katarina investigates new allegations in Ciudad Juárez, where women have long faced violence at the hands of cartels. Recent reports suggest that pregnant women are being specifically targeted, with claims that the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is involv...

Sponsors:  Ground News Subscribe now and get 40% off the VANTAGE plan by going to ⁠https://www.groundnews.com/ironclad⁠ On today’s episode, Katarina discusses Mexico’s transfer of 26 cartel members to the United States in a high-stakes deal with the Trump administration. The move, which included figures from the Sinaloa Cartel, CJNG, and Knights Templar, was celebrated as a win against organized c...

Sponsors:  Ground News Subscribe now and get 40% off the VANTAGE plan by going to https://www.groundnews.com/ironclad or clicking the link in the description On today’s episode, Katarina breaks down Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s clear rejection of U.S. military operations on Mexican soil. This follows reports that President Trump signed a secret directive authorizing military action agains...

On today’s episode, Katarina discusses: the arrest of Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and the 17 charges he faces in U.S. federal court. Also in focus: the DOJ’s decision not to pursue the death penalty for Zambada, Rafael Caro Quintero, and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes—opening the door to plea deals and potential cooperation. Plus, updates on Ovidio Guzmán López’s guilty plea and what...

On today’s episode, Katarina breaks down how Latin American criminal groups have exploited Ukraine’s warzone to gain advanced FPV drone training. In 2025, Mexico’s National Intelligence Center warned Ukraine’s security services that individuals from Mexico and Colombia were joining the International Legion under false identities—not to fight, but to train. A joint investigation revealed that some...

On today’s episode, Katarina is joined by a former intelligence analyst to break down how the Chinese Communist Party uses community associations, tech companies, student groups, and overseas police stations to extend its influence in Western countries. Together, they explore the role of fentanyl supply chains, financial entanglements with U.S. elites, and how historical lessons from the Opium War...

On today’s episode, Katarina discusses the death of Irma Hernández and the growing crisis of femicide in Mexico. She explores how extortion and violence are driving an increase in women’s deaths, shedding light on the dangerous realities many face. This episode dives into the broader implications for safety and justice in the region.  Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original  Learn more about your ad ch...