Borderland: Narcosis with Vincent 'Rocco' Vargas

On today’s episode, Vince welcomes back Katarina, host of Borderland: Dispatches, who shares her first-hand reporting from the site of El Mencho’s operation in Mexico. They discuss the evidence she found, the sequence of events, and the aftermath, including how the operation has impacted Mexican authorities, cartel dynamics, and local communities. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: 00:00 - Intro & The Rumors Around El Mencho's Death (03:11) What Really Happened During the Raid? (09:49) Fake Evidence, Missing Ledgers & The Honeypot Theory (16:41) Kat Investigates the Open Crime Scene (27:20) Wild Transport Theories & The Airplane Death (31:48) The Future of CJNG & The Sinaloa Cartel (38:43) Mexican Political Fallout & Spillover Threats (46:44) US Special Forces & Global Drug Operations (54:15) Foreign Mercenaries in Ukraine & Outro Sponsors: 1st Phorm: 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. GHOSTBED: Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide. Norwood Sawmills: Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=ironclad&utm_campaign=ironclad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, Ed Calderon returns to Borderland: Narcosis to examine the operation that reportedly killed CJNG leader El Mencho. The conversation covers the details of the raid, inconsistencies in the official narrative, cartel responses across Mexico, and potential power shifts inside CJNG. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00 ) Intro (01:00) Deep Dive: The Raid on El Mencho’s Compound (03:50) How the Mexican Army Found Him (05:51) Suspicious Evidence: Why the Scene Doesn't Add Up (08:45) Secret Operations & Government Incompetence (11:15) The Truth: Was the Death Faked? (13:41) Cartel Power Vacuum: Who Takes Control? (18:49) Forensic Proof: The Body and the Funeral (23:23) The Secret Ledger System (28:02) US Involvement: Delta, Seals, and High-Altitude Jumps (31:21) The Next Targets: Chapo’s Sons and Remaining Bosses (37:54) Insurgency Risk: The Future of Mexican Violence (42:56) Is Mexico Safe for Travel Right Now? Sponsors: 1st Phorm: 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. GHOSTBED: Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide. Norwood Sawmills: Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Vince welcomes back Samuel Cooper, Canadian journalist, author, and national security expert who has reported extensively on transnational crime, Mexican cartels, and international intelligence operations. They dive into the recent takedown of El Mencho, the rise of cartel influence in Canada, and what these shifts mean for North America’s security landscape. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Intro: The Convergence of Crime in Canada (01:03) The Death of El Mencho & Global Cartel Takedowns (03:16) Cartel Operations & Police Corruption in Canada (07:21) The Global Web: Iran, China, & Narco-Terrorism (10:38) 4D Chess: US Strategy & Securing Critical Minerals (17:05) Cognitive Warfare & US-Canada Relations (21:40) Why Canada is the Next Big Security Threat (26:35) The Northern Border Crisis & Human Smuggling (29:41) Ryan Wedding Update & Potential Fallout (34:24) Mexican President Sheinbaum & US Intelligence (38:13) Do the Mexican People Support US Intervention? (40:31) Corrupt Officials & El Mencho's Financial Networks (43:19) Chinese Money Laundering & The Trudeau Meeting (47:12) Future Threats: Drone Warfare & Chinese Bio-Labs Sponsors: 1st Phorm: 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. GHOSTBED: Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide. Norwood Sawmills: Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Vince welcomes back Pierre Rausini to discuss reports surrounding the death of El Mencho, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). They discuss what is known about the operation, reported intelligence involvement, and what the leadership change could mean for CJNG and other cartel groups, including the Sinaloa Cartel. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Intro: The Downfall of El Mencho (01:34) Why President Sheinbaum Caved to US Pressure (03:14) Tourism Panic & Evacuating Americans (06:14) US Intelligence & The Master Plan (09:54) The 4-Hour Firefight & CIA Drone Operations (11:51) Who is the New Cartel Boss Taking Over? (15:07) Cartel Retaliation & Negotiating with the Government (17:34) Will Cartels Start Targeting Americans? (20:13) Why Cartel Leaders Are Breathing a Sigh of Relief (22:09) The Real Motive: China, the US, & the Silver Market (28:25) How This Impacts the Sinaloa Cartel (31:10) US SEAL Teams & Covert CIA Ops in Mexico (36:20) US Drug Demand vs. Cartel Supply (39:17) US Military Intervention & Mexican Sovereignty (49:00) Who’s Next on the US Hitlist? Sponsors: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, Vince speaks with Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco about cartel activity in Riverside County, including the arrest connected to the family of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (03:13) Why Riverside County is a Major Hub for Cartels (06:13) First Encounters with Prison Gangs & Cartel Power (08:17) How Border Policies Shift Cartel Operations (12:16) The Cartel's Adaptable Business Model (16:20) Money Laundering: Innocent Employees or Cartel Accomplices? (19:32 ) The Arrest of El Mencho’s Son-in-Law (22:08) Law Enforcement Corruption & Cartel Infiltration (30:19) Do Cartels Bring Violence to Local Communities? (33:46) How the Mexican Mafia & Prison Gangs Control the Streets (36:52) Stopping the Cartels: Why Law Enforcement Must Cooperate (40:34) The Dark Reality of Human Trafficking in Suburbia (44:28) Child Trafficking & The Psychological Toll on Investigators (48:12) A Disturbing New Trend: The Return of Massive Meth Labs (50:20) - Final Thoughts Sponsors: 1st Phorm: 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. GHOSTBED: Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLADand use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide. Norwood Sawmills: Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/ Subscribe to Target Intelligence: PSYOP with Shawn Ryan: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/target-intelligence-psyop-with-shawn-ryan/id1872168845 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices