The Underworld Podcast

As Colombia's cocaine industry exploded in the 1980's, Pablo Escobar's Medellin cartel became the dominant player, capturing headlines across the world. But there was a second cartel rising up, one that operated more in the shadows and would soon grow more powerful - and more profitable - than even Medellin.The Gentlemen of Cali were slick, sophisticated and always looking for a solution that wouldn't attract headlines. They fancied themselves businessmen and aristocrats, and as Pablo went to war on the state, they invested hundreds of millions into businesses and politicians all over Colombia. Though originally good-natured rivals, the Cali and Medellin cartels maintained decent relations...only they didn't. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When gunmen ambushed a Mexican-Chinese businessman outside his Guatemala City casino in 2016, few outside the DEA paid much attention. But the shootout presaged the downfall of a man who, feds would later say, hadn’t just made a tidy living out of money laundering, but pioneered it.But Xizhi Li, who grew up in the border town of Mexicali, was just one of a new army of Chinese money launderers who, tooled with millennia of underground banking skills, and China’s own economic policies, have become the go-to guys for Latin American cartels looking to wash their dirty cash. And with fentanyl flooding America’s streets, their work is becoming deadlier by the day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Something about Bum Farto, Key West’s fire chief, stunk. And it wasn’t just his red suits, bling and lime green company car. By the early 70s Florida’s farthest-flung outpost was a lawless drug enclave. And Bum was smack bang in its center.((NOTE: This isn't just our best episode, it might be the podcast episode ever, in the history of podcasts.))When the state’s governor dispatched a multi-agency task force to Key West, however, they stumbled on something far darker than an errant Farto. Out poured a world of murder, mafiosi and massive shipments. What happened next remains a mystery to this day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia fought a guerrilla war against Colombia’s government - as well as against right wing militias and drug cartels - for over four decades before signing a peace treaty in 2016 and then dissolving in 2017, though splinter faction known as The Dissidents still prowls the jungles. As the FARC were coming up, another violent group in Colombia hellbent on taking over territory was also growing: the country’s infamous drug cartels. In this episode, we’re joined by longtime cartel correspondent and frequent guest, author Toby Muse to detail the history of the FARC and what exactly was their role in Colombia’s cocaine trade. Toby is the author of Kilo: Life and Death Inside the Secret World of the Cocaine Cartels  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Tren de Aragua grew out of disastrous regime policies to give gang leaders more power in prisons. Its mysterious leader, Niño Guerrero, soon controlled an entire facility, and installed a prison bar, a nightclub—and even a zoo.More state bungling allowed the Tren to take over entire city neighbourhoods unchallenged. So when Venezuela’s economy plummeted and hundreds of thousands fled the nation, it became a key player in the booming migrant smuggling trade, spreading into neighboring Latin American states.Now the Tren is in the US. But is there really a full-scale invasion, as media are beginning to say? We unpick the fact and fiction of this dangerous new group. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the chaos of 1970’s New York, it took a lot to shock the city. But the Westies managed to leave quite the impression. Dubbed the last of the Irish mob despite being more like an anarchic gang, they terrorized the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, garnering headlines due to their penchant for daytime hits and chopping up their victims bodies. They even managed to attract the attention of New York’s five mafia families, who took notice of their numerous hits and started contracting out to them. In less than a decade though, things would get a little too messy, and they would tear themselves apart.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this riveting discussion, Sammy the Bull, a former member of the Gambino crime family turned informant, unpacks the chilling gang culture of suburban Gilbert, Arizona. He reveals the disturbing story of 16-year-old Preston Lord's tragic death at the hands of the Gilbert Goons. Sammy shares insights into how this group intertwines with violent legacies and the odd resurgence of 90s gang activity in wealthy areas. The conversation delves into societal perceptions of youth gangs and the complex factors behind their rise in affluent neighborhoods.

Sebastian Marset, an emerging narco kingpin from Uruguay, shares his incredible rise from a mid-level weed dealer to a powerful cartel boss in just under a decade. He discusses his unique trafficking methods and clever ways of evading law enforcement while juggling a bizarre obsession with soccer. Buying soccer teams and even stepping onto the field himself, Marset's story intertwines wealth, power, and the absurdities of organized crime. Tune in for a wild ride through his life on the run and the surprising intersections of drug trafficking and the beautiful game.

Mohammed Alaa Allawi, a former US military interpreter turned darknet drug lord, shares his rollercoaster journey from designing websites to making millions selling counterfeit pills infused with deadly fentanyl. He humorously recounts eccentric encounters with shady characters while revealing the dark web's complex e-commerce evolution. Alaa discusses the risk of a Marine overdose that ignited a massive investigation, his perilous experiences in Iraq, and the tragic consequences of the ongoing fentanyl crisis on communities.

Bombshell out of Mexico, El Mayo (!!!!!) is in US federal custody after arriving on a small private plan alongside El Chapo's son, Joaquin Guzman Lopez. What. The Hell. Is going on. How does the most elusive, powerful narco kingpin in Mexico's history, whose avoided arrest for decades and operated like a ghost in the shadows, end up being gift-wrapped for feds? Alongside 1/4 of Los Chapitos? In this hastily thrown together episode, we try to get to the bottom of exactly what's known, what isn't known, and what is actually happening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices