Rephonic
Artwork for Borderland: Narcosis

Borderland: Narcosis with Vincent 'Rocco' Vargas

IRONCLAD
Human Trafficking
Sinaloa Cartel
Border Security
Illegal Immigration
Border Patrol
Fentanyl
Immigration Policy
Drug Trafficking
Fentanyl Crisis
Deported Veterans
Biden Administration
Los Zetas
Trump Administration
Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG)
Mexican Cartels
Chinese Communist Party
Cartels
Ngos
Marijuana Grow Operations
Veterans Affairs

New Episodes Every Monday. An unfiltered look at real stories from America's Southern Border. Each week, special operations combat veteran, actor, writer, and veteran BORSTAR Agent Vincent “Rocco” Vargas sits down with guests to discuss the ruthless forces driving mass migration—organized crime. This season, Borderland: Narcosis takes an unfiltered look at the criminal networks fueling the crisis,... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes103Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Borderland: Narcosis

Latest Episodes

On today's episode, Vince sits down with Rob Dyer, former Marine and CIA paramilitary officer, to uncover a $10B gray-market plant product — a potent kratom derivative called 7-hydroxy (7-OH). This compound comes from the kratom leaf and is chemicall... more

On today's episode, Vince talks with journalist Ioan Grillo about the targeting of an outspoken Mexican mayor by the CJNG cartel and their police force infiltrations. They discuss how cartel violence and extortion are worsening across Mexico, the ris... more

On today’s episode, Vince sits down with former DEA senior agent Stacy Zinn, who led major anti-cartel operations in Montana, to discuss the growing presence of organized crime in the state and its impact on local communities.

Borderland is an IRONC... more

YouTube

Former Mexican law enforcement officer Ed Calderón returns to Borderland to break down the next phase of cartel warfare. From CJNG’s weaponized drone swarms to the rise of armed child recruits in rural Mexico, Calderón explains how cartels are evolvi... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Rob Dyer
Former Marine, former CIA Blue Badger, and owner of a private security company.
Episode: The Kratom-to-7-OH Pipeline: Inside the CCP-Linked Network Fueling a Dangerous New Drug Market
Ian Frisch
Co-author of Martin Suarez's memoir about infiltrating Colombian drug cartels
Episode: Inside the Cartel: FBI Agent Martin Suarez’s 24 Years Undercover Smuggling Billions for the Colombian Drug Empire
Martin Suarez
Former FBI Agent who infiltrated Colombian drug cartels for 24 years
Episode: Inside the Cartel: FBI Agent Martin Suarez’s 24 Years Undercover Smuggling Billions for the Colombian Drug Empire
Katarina Szulc
Journalist and investigative reporter focusing on drug trafficking and border issues.
Dispatches
Episode: Bounties on Agents, PsyOps, and CIA Allegations | Q&A with Katarina Szulc
Jaeson Jones
Expert on drug trafficking and organized crime, providing insight into the Mexican drug war.
Episode: Mexico’s Drug War Turns a Corner: Homicides Drop as South American Cartels Surge (Jaeson Jones Returns)
Pierre Rausini
Former insider with a significant background in drug trafficking
Episode: How Cartels Actually Operate in Venezuela: America’s War, Government-Collapse & Synthetic Drug War (Pierre Rausini Returns)
Johnny Mitchell
Former drug dealer turned comedian and host of The Connect podcast
Episode: THE CONNECT: Ex-Trafficker Johnny Mitchell — Inside the Cartel Shift: Why They No Longer Fear U.S. Power
Seth Harp
Investigative reporter and author of Fort Bragg Cartel
Episode: Fort Bragg Cartel: How Drug Trafficking Reached America’s Military Bases (with Seth Harp)
Wesley Tabor
Former DEA agent and CIA assignee with over 20 years of experience tracking transnational criminal networks in Latin America
Episode: Inside Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles and How It Threatens the U.S

Host

Vincent 'Rocco' Vargas
Host of the podcast and former special operations combat veteran, actor, writer, and BORSTAR Agent.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 297 ratings
  • Podcast

    Would love to hear Vince on SRS and vice versa

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MPP-713
    United Statesa month ago
  • Weak Audio

    Another podcaster who ruins the show with low audio levels. Boost your audio in post before uploading. This is inexcusable in 2025.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Saving Viking
    United Statesa month ago
  • Fantastic!

    It is great to find someone that wants to inform the public about what is going on. Very great podcasts!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    NQMAC
    United States5 months ago
  • Very Insightful

    👍

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sharron Marie
    United States5 months ago
  • Rocco episode

    Rocco bleeds green. Iykyk.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    1yldndn
    United States6 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Critics express a desire for more in-depth questioning during guest interactions to enhance the quality of discussions.
Feedback indicates that episodes are engaging and relevant, sensationalizing the urgency surrounding crime and safety.
Listeners appreciate the unfiltered and informative discussions about complex border issues.

Top News Podcasts

The Daily
The DailyThe New York Times
The MeidasTouch Podcast
The MeidasTouch PodcastMeidasTouch Network
The Tucker Carlson Show
The Tucker Carlson ShowTucker Carlson Network
Pod Save America
Pod Save AmericaCrooked Media
Pivot
PivotNew York Magazine

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

CJNG Strikes: Mayor Murdered as Violence and Extortion Escalate in Mexico (Ioan Grillo Returns)
Q: Is there a way forward where the cartel doesn't just kind of pick on its own people?
It's complicated, but the community's growing animosity towards the cartels could lead to uprisings; however, historical context shows the challenges in facing them directly.
CJNG Strikes: Mayor Murdered as Violence and Extortion Escalate in Mexico (Ioan Grillo Returns)
Q: Is this separate from the drug trade?
In many cases, it's the same organizations; they have people dedicated to both drug trafficking and extortion.
CJNG Strikes: Mayor Murdered as Violence and Extortion Escalate in Mexico (Ioan Grillo Returns)
Q: Can you describe to me what's going on right now in Mexico and how the cartel is now using violence and extortion?
The cartels have diversified into extortion, demanding money from small and large businesses, and there's a significant uptick in kidnappings and violent actions against anyone who resists.
Inside the Cartel: FBI Agent Martin Suarez’s 24 Years Undercover Smuggling Billions for the Colombian Drug Empire
Q: Do you feel that the war on drugs has been effective?
It's a political statement to say the war on drugs was an abject failure because we never really got started.
Inside the Cartel: FBI Agent Martin Suarez’s 24 Years Undercover Smuggling Billions for the Colombian Drug Empire
Q: Was there ever a time that you felt that maybe they were on to you?
At no point until the end did I feel like they knew I was a law enforcement officer.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Borderland: Narcosis

What is Borderland: Narcosis about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Focusing on the complex dynamics and challenges at America's Southern Border, this series provides listeners with an insider's perspective on organized crime, migration, and the associated crises. Through unfiltered discussions with experts, including former law enforcement and military personnel, topics range from drug trafficking and human smuggling to political corruption and the implications for U.S. national security. Each episode serves to inform and shed light on the often-overlooked realities of border-related issues, making it a vital resource for those interested in contemporary social and political concerns facing the nation.

Where can I find podcast stats for Borderland: Narcosis?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Borderland: Narcosis. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Borderland: Narcosis and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Borderland: Narcosis get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Borderland: Narcosis, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Borderland: Narcosis?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Borderland: Narcosis, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Borderland: Narcosis have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Borderland: Narcosis has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Borderland: Narcosis?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Borderland: Narcosis:

1. Change Agents with Andy Stumpf
2. Borderland: Dispatches with Katarina Szulc
3. Cleared Hot
4. Mike Force Podcast
5. Mike Drop

How many episodes of Borderland: Narcosis are there?

Borderland: Narcosis launched 2 years ago and published 103 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Borderland: Narcosis?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Borderland: Narcosis?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Borderland: Narcosis from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Borderland: Narcosis?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Borderland: Narcosis. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Borderland: Narcosis?

Recent guests on Borderland: Narcosis include:

1. Rob Dyer
2. Ian Frisch
3. Martin Suarez
4. Katarina Szulc
5. Jaeson Jones
6. Pierre Rausini
7. Johnny Mitchell
8. Seth Harp

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days