Borderland: Narcosis with Vincent 'Rocco' Vargas

On this week’s episode, Vince sits down with Steve Robinson, investigative journalist and executive producer of the documentary High Crimes, to discuss his investigation into illegal marijuana grows in Maine. Robinson reveals how many of these operations are controlled by Chinese organized crime, exploiting loopholes in state cannabis laws and using dangerous pesticides that pose health risks. He also examines the connections between these grows, broader drug trafficking networks, political complicity, and the implications for local communities and U.S. national security. 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

On 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

On 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

On 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

On 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

On 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

On this episode, Vince speaks with Alex Szinnyev, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and security professional with 13 years of experience in military service, government contracting, executive protection, and weapons instruction. In July, Alex is scheduled to face trial for human smuggling charges after a transport operation he believed was affiliated with a church turned out to involve undocumented migrants. Alex shares his account of what happened—how he was contacted, what he was told, and why he believed the operation was legitimate. He says those who recruited him claimed to be moving refugees and even provided church references and documentation. According to Alex, he later learned that some of the individuals involved in organizing the transport had previously worked under Operation Lone Star—the controversial Texas state initiative aimed at curbing illegal immigration. He discusses the confusion this created, the legal jeopardy he's now facing, and the personal and professional fallout, including the loss of his career, security clearance, and the impact on his family and future. To support Alex, visit: https://linktr.ee/fortressnotafelon and https://www.givesendgo.com/fightingforAlex 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

On today’s episode, Vince sits down with former California corrections lieutenant Hector Bravo to break down what he says is a growing crisis inside the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).Bravo, who served 16 years in the system, alleges how shifts in policy—including the “Agreement to End Hostilities” and the merging of general population with protective custody inmates—have led to rising violence, weakened accountability, and expanded control by organized gangs and cartels.The conversation covers the so-called “72-hour rule,” increased attacks on correctional staff, and how political agendas may be driving dangerous decisions at the top. Bravo also shares his personal experience walking away from a career in corrections after witnessing what he describes as a culture of silence and self-preservation at the expense of safety.Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Sponsors:1stPhormvisit: https://www.1stphorm.com/borderlandFree shipping through this link on any orders over $75Free 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%! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Vince sits down with Matthew Hedger—a former CIA operative and intelligence advisor with extensive experience in undercover operations and transnational criminal investigations. Matthew shares his background working under non-official cover, infiltrating criminal organizations, and gathering intelligence on illicit finance networks. He discusses how cartels move money through cryptocurrency, art, and other unconventional methods, and outlines the risks faced by undercover operatives. The conversation explores the evolving landscape of money laundering and its broader impact on law enforcement and national security. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original. 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 Presented By: 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%! Sponsor: 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

On today's episode, Vince and Borderland: Dispatches host Katarina Szulc answer audience questions about the state of cartel violence and U.S. border security. They explore comparisons between CJNG and terrorist organizations like ISIS and Al-Qaeda, analyze whether Mexican cartels pose a greater long-term threat than China or Russia, and discuss common public misconceptions about cartel operations. 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