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Artwork for Borderland: Narcosis

Borderland: Narcosis with Vincent 'Rocco' Vargas

IRONCLAD
Sinaloa Cartel
Drug Trafficking
Fentanyl
Human Trafficking
Venezuela
Corruption
Cartels
CJNG
Mexico
Organized Crime
Drug Cartels
Border Patrol
Tren De Aragua
United States
China
Jalisco New Generation Cartel
Fentanyl Crisis
Mexican Cartels
Border Crisis
Canada

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes154Founded3 years ago
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Artwork for Borderland: Narcosis

Latest Episodes

Today's guest is Will Grant.

He is the BBC's Mexico, Central America and Cuba correspondent, based in Mexico City.

Borderland: Narcosis is an IRONCLAD Original.

Chapters

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:02:24) Bukele vs. Haiti's Gangs

(00:07:14) Can Mexico... more

Hels Apffel is an investigative correspondent, Florida State Guard Public Affairs Sergeant, journalist who works with groups including The GOAT Initiative, an organization that tracks smuggling and security threats on the southern border, and is the ... more

YouTube

Katarina Szulc joins Vince 'Rocco' Vargas to discuss her latest investigation into foreign fighters in Ukraine, cartel paramilitary groups, the state of trafficking, and the law enforcement wars on cartels.

Borderland: Narcosis is an IRONCLAD Origin... more

Stephen Dudley is the co-founder and co-director of InSight Crime, a think tank focused on organized crime in the Americas.

Borderland: Narcosis is an IRONCLAD Original.

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Brazil's Organized Crime Landscape: PCC and Red Command more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Hels Apffel
Investigative correspondent, journalist and Florida State Guard Public Affairs Sergeant
The GOAT Initiative
Episode: Inside the Border Terror Pipeline: Iran, China & Pakistan's Infiltration of the San Diego Border
Katarina Szulc
Journalist investigating foreign fighters, cartels and trafficking in Latin America
Episode: The Truth about Cartel Paramilitaries, Cartel Members in Ukraine, Trafficking Ops and More
Stephen Dudley
Journalist and co-founder and co-director of InSight Crime
InSight Crime
Episode: Meet the PCC: 30,000 Members, Bigger Than Any Cartel, and Flying Under the Radar
Pierre Rausini
Expert on CJNG and cartel infrastructure
Independent analyst / guest
Episode: El Mencho Was Just a Decoy? INSIDE the Real Leader Who is Running CJNG (with Pierre Rausini)
Scott McGregor
Former Canadian military intelligence operator
Canadian military intelligence, RCMP, private security (various roles)
Episode: China's Plan to TAKEOVER the Drug Trade and Use Canada as a Backdoor into the U.S. (with Scott McGregor)
Joe Hefferon
Investigative journalist sharing new information on the El Mayo capture
Independent journalist
Episode: The Capture of El Mayo Was NOT What It Seemed: The Violent Real FBI Operation That Brought Him Down
Kim Bolan
Award-winning journalist covering gangs and organized crime in Canada
Vancouver Sun
Episode: Canada's Cartel Crisis: Assassinations, Extortion & the Bishnoi Gang's Reach (with Kim Bolan)
Sean Williams
Freelance reporter, writer; host of Underworld podcast
Harper's Magazine contributor, Underworld podcast
Episode: This Journalist Spent a Month in Cuba: What He Saw Was Shocking
Chris Dalby
Experienced journalist focused on organized crime; runs World of Crime publishing
World of Crime
Episode: How Mexico's Most Dangerous Cartel Quietly Took Over Europe: The CJNG Terrifying Expansion

Host

Vincent Vargas
Host of Borderland Narcosis; primary on-screen host and operator-backed expert on border crime and security.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 349 ratings
  • Love it

    I thoroughly enjoy how calm and collected they are unveiling some the most interesting and also terrible situations that no other platform a.k.a. the media will ever let you hear. I’m so glad I added them to my queue.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jhillis22
    United States3 months ago
  • Recent Venezuela pod

    I have been listening to the podcast a while now. The Venezuela pod was the best I’ve heard. The information given was very thought provoking in many ways, gave explanation I have not known. Will have to follow Nick as it seems his knowledge is incredible, too bad Americans can’t get this information from our government. Maybe if the gov’t told us more about why Trump is hell bent on destroying the Venezuelan ships, the countries that are imbedded in Venezuela it would ease a bit of the division... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KRA 71
    United Statesa year ago
  • Podcast

    Would love to hear Vince on SRS and vice versa

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MPP-713
    United Statesa year 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 year 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 Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Some praise balanced, multi-perspective discussions while others criticize uneven follow-up questions.
Audiences often cite high level of expertise among guests and engaging storytelling.
Listeners praise in-depth investigations and firsthand reporting from crime and border topics.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Inside the Border Terror Pipeline: Iran, China & Pakistan's Infiltration of the San Diego Border
Q: Can you discuss the current lawsuit in fighting the provisions of government agencies knocking doors?
Apffel says details about the lawsuit are available publicly, but the initiative is not yet discussing its possible involvement. She recommends listening to an earlier Ironclad interview with Corey for more context.
Inside the Border Terror Pipeline: Iran, China & Pakistan's Infiltration of the San Diego Border
Q: Can you explain who an SIA is? And then I would love to hear more about this concern.
Apffel explains that an SIA, or special interest alien, is a person designated by the government based on factors such as their country of origin or group affiliation. She says The GOAT Initiative has collected concerning information about many such individuals and has had limited cooperation from officials.
The Truth about Cartel Paramilitaries, Cartel Members in Ukraine, Trafficking Ops and More
Q: How extensive are these US anti-cartel efforts in Latin America?
Szulc says U.S. surveillance and operations have become more visible, including drone deployments, but she views boat strikes largely as political messaging that shifted routes temporarily rather than stopping drug trafficking.
The Truth about Cartel Paramilitaries, Cartel Members in Ukraine, Trafficking Ops and More
Q: Can you talk about these videos and how Mexico's response is to those?
Szulc says officials in Ukraine confirmed that cartel recruiters have approached Colombian foreign fighters, seeking to hire them after their service. Ukrainian officials described screening recruits and discharging those found to have criminal ties.
Meet the PCC: 30,000 Members, Bigger Than Any Cartel, and Flying Under the Radar
Q: What potential threats do they pose for the United States and do they even have a presence in the United States right now, or even maybe in the underworld somewhere?
Dudley says the PCC has a minimal reported U.S. presence and that its most notable U.S. connection is financial, including a large money-laundering case involving crypto platforms. He says its drugs primarily move to Europe.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Borderland: Narcosis

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

A hard-hitting, issue-driven show that centers on real-world crime, border security, and transnational networks. Across recent episodes, listeners are treated to in-depth explorations of human trafficking, cartel power, money laundering, and cross-border crime, often through tightly reported investigations and first-hand field accounts from journalists, former law-enforcement officials, and security professionals. The format blends on-the-ground storytelling with analytical context, highlighting how corruption, governance gaps, and evolving criminal ecosystems shape policy and public safety. A notable strength is its willingness to feature diverse perspectives—from former government operators to investigative reporters—creating a multi-face... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Borderland: Narcosis?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Borderland: Narcosis:

1. Borderland: Dispatches with Katarina Szulc
2. Change Agents with Andy Stumpf
3. The Connect- with Johnny Mitchell
4. Cleared Hot - Powered By BRCC
5. Game of Crimes

How many episodes of Borderland: Narcosis are there?

Borderland: Narcosis launched 3 years ago and published 154 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Borderland: Narcosis?

Recent guests on Borderland: Narcosis include:

1. Hels Apffel
2. Katarina Szulc
3. Stephen Dudley
4. Pierre Rausini
5. Scott McGregor
6. Joe Hefferon
7. Kim Bolan
8. Sean Williams

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