Ioan Grillo has spent over twenty years reporting on the frontlines of the Mexican cartel wars. He joined Rep. Crenshaw’s Cartel Task Force to brief Congress on the rise of paramilitary cartels, their diversified portfolio of criminal operations (which includes tapping oil pipelines), and the complex duopoly of power they share with the Mexican government. They also discuss the challenges America faces working with Mexico to restrict weapons trafficking. And Ioan shares his methods for developing sources within the cartels, sometimes at great risk to his life. 

Ioan Grillo is a journalist and author who has been covering cartels and Latin America since 2001. He is the author of “El Narco”, “Gangster Warlords”, and “Blood Gun Money.” Follow his reporting at www.crashoutmedia.com and on Twitter at @IoanGrillo.