Borderland: Narcosis with Vincent 'Rocco' Vargas

On today's episode, Vince sits down with Pierre Rausini. Pierre Rausini is an author and former Los Angeles kingpin. He was charged with operating a criminal enterprise under the Federal Drug Kingpin Statute and prosecuted for participating in wide-ranging drug conspiracies. Rausini's extensive history of drug trafficking in Southern California throughout the 1990s involved direct collaboration wi...

On this bonus episode, Vince welcomes back Katarina Szulc to discuss the recent propaganda video from Cartel De Noreste, claiming to reject violence while continuing their criminal activities. They dive into Trump’s pressure on Claudia Sheinbaum to combat cartels and examine the cartel networks at the Northern border. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap...

On today's episode, Vince welcomes back security expert and former Mexican law enforcement officer Ed Calderon to discuss Claudia Sheinbaum’s decision to send 10,000 Mexican troops to the U.S. border. They also explore the implications of this move, the response from Mayo Zambada and the Sinaloa Cartel, and how it may affect cartel operations. The conversation also covers perspectives from Mexican...

On today’s episode, Vince sits down with investigative journalist Katarina Szulc to discuss the escalating cartel violence in Mexico and the impact of the U.S. officially designating cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). To read more of Katarina's work check out: https://katarinaszulc.substack.com/about IG: @KatarinaSzulc X: @KatarinaSzulc Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original. Learn mor...

Last season, we took you to the frontlines of the border crisis. We dug into the brutal realities behind immigration—the policies, the fears, and the human toll it takes on individuals and communities. That was just the beginning. Now, we’re going deeper.  We’re pulling back the curtain on the ruthless forces that drive mass migration - organized crime.  On the new season of Borderland, NARCOSIS W...

On today’s episode, Vince sits down with Luis Navia, a former Cuban-American drug trafficker who played a central role in the international cocaine trade for over 25 years, and Jesse Fink, the author who chronicled Luis’s story. Born in Cuba, Luis fled to Miami with his family after Castro’s takeover in 1959. Raised in privilege, he attended private schools and Georgetown University before becomin...

On today's episode, Vince responds to audience questions and comments, discussing the future of the war on drugs, the role of mass deportations, and the impact of drug legalization. He also shares insights on what the incoming administration’s policies could mean for the fight against cartels and border security. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone....

On today’s episode, Vince sits down with NewsNation’s Jorge Ventura to explore his career reporting on the U.S.-Mexico border, including firsthand accounts of covering cartel operations. They dive into what changes could unfold as the Trump administration takes office on January 20th, discussing the potential for mass deportations and the future of border enforcement Borderland is an IRONCLAD Orig...

On today's episode, Vince sits down with Adriana Jones, a woman whose life was forever changed when her sister and young nephews were murdered in an attack by a Mexican cartel. She discusses how this tragedy led her to establish Rhonitavive, a nonprofit named in her sister’s memory, focused on raising awareness about the growing threat of cartel violence. To learn more about Adriana and Rhonitaviv...

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 t...

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...

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 a...

Producer's Note: This interview was recorded prior to official election results On 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 politic...

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...

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...

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...

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 wides...

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 re...

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. Bord...

Today on Borderland, Vince sits down with former CIA covert operations officer and host of The President's Daily Brief podcast, Mike Baker. Mike has over 15 years of experience in counterterrorism, counter-narcotics, and intelligence operations worldwide. After his career in the CIA, he transitioned into the private sector, co-founding a global intelligence and security firm called Diligence LLC,...

In this episode of Borderland, Vince sits down with renowned geopolitical strategist Peter Zeihan to dive into the complex realities of immigration, U.S. policy, and Mexico's uncertain future. Peter breaks down what both the left and right get wrong about America's immigration debate, and offer his perspective on the models that could reshape U.S. policy. He also takes a hard look at Mexico's new...

On this episode of Borderland, Vince chats with Keith Newton, a PSYOP specialist, about how Information Operations (IO) campaigns work and the media’s role in shaping narratives. They explore how news outlets align stories with political agendas and discuss the media’s portrayal of the border crisis. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original. Check out the REASONABLE FEAR S.E.C. KIT available for pre-ord...

On today's episode, Vince sits down with journalist, writer, producer, and podcast host Ioan Grillo. Ioan has been covering the drug cartels in Latin America since 2001, and has recently been on the grounds in Sinaloa, Mexico covering the brutal civil war that has broken out since El Mayo's arrest between two factions of the cartel -- the Mayos and the Chapitos. He is also the author of three book...

A 4-PART BORDERLAND SPECIAL SERIES: EPISODE 4: THE ULTRA-VIOLENT RISE AND DRAMATIC FALL OF MS-13 On the southern border, there is a legal concept known as “reasonable fear.” If an asylum officer determines that a migrant has a “reasonable fear of persecution or torture” if returned to their home country, then removal procedures can be delayed. And, in the current border crisis, there’s been no gre...

A 4-PART BORDERLAND SPECIAL SERIES: EPISODE 3: CJNG: THE CARTEL IN AMERICA'S LIVING ROOMS On the southern border, there is a legal concept known as “reasonable fear.” If an asylum officer determines that a migrant has a “reasonable fear of persecution or torture” if returned to their home country, then removal procedures can be delayed. And, in the current border crisis, there’s been no greater so...