Sponsors: 

Ground News

Subscribe now and get 40% off the VANTAGE plan by going to ⁠https://www.groundnews.com/ironclad

On today’s episode, Katarina follows up on her report about the CJNG cartel targeting pregnant women. Stefano Ritondale from @AllSourceNews  joins to provide additional details on the buyers involved in this illicit trade.

Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sponsors: Ground News

Subscribe now and get 40% off the VANTAGE plan by going to ⁠https://www.groundnews.com/ironclad⁠

In this episode, Katarina joins a Gary, Indiana police officer on patrol along the major highways that connect Illinois and Indiana—routes that have become critical corridors for drug trafficking across the Midwest. Together, they explore how cartels move narcotics through America’s heartland, and the challenges law enforcement faces in stopping them. 

Borderland is an IRONCLAD ORIGINAL

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sponsors: 

Ground News

Subscribe now and get 40% off the VANTAGE plan by going to ⁠https://www.groundnews.com/ironclad

On today’s episode, Katarina investigates new allegations in Ciudad Juárez, where women have long faced violence at the hands of cartels. Recent reports suggest that pregnant women are being specifically targeted, with claims that the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is involved in trafficking their unborn children. Katarina looks into these disturbing accounts, the history of femicides in Juárez, and what this new angle reveals about cartel operations on the border.

Borderland is an IRONCLAD ORIGINAL

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sponsors: 

Ground News

Subscribe now and get 40% off the VANTAGE plan by going to ⁠https://www.groundnews.com/ironclad⁠

On today’s episode, Katarina discusses Mexico’s transfer of 26 cartel members to the United States in a high-stakes deal with the Trump administration. The move, which included figures from the Sinaloa Cartel, CJNG, and Knights Templar, was celebrated as a win against organized crime, but also raised questions about political pressure, trade threats, and Mexico’s sovereignty. Katarina unpacks the motivations behind the deal, the implications for U.S.-Mexico relations, and what this unprecedented wave of extraditions reveals about the evolving fight against the cartels.

Borderland is an IRONCLAD ORIGINAL

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sponsors: 

Ground News

Subscribe now and get 40% off the VANTAGE plan by going to https://www.groundnews.com/ironclad or clicking the link in the description

On today’s episode, Katarina breaks down Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s clear rejection of U.S. military operations on Mexican soil. This follows reports that President Trump signed a secret directive authorizing military action against drug cartels in Latin America.

Sheinbaum’s stance underscores Mexico’s insistence on sovereignty despite ongoing security cooperation with the U.S. The episode examines the impact of this tension on bilateral relations and regional security dynamics.

Borderland is an IRONCLAD ORIGINAL

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Katarina discusses: the arrest of Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and the 17 charges he faces in U.S. federal court.

Also in focus: the DOJ’s decision not to pursue the death penalty for Zambada, Rafael Caro Quintero, and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes—opening the door to plea deals and potential cooperation.

Plus, updates on Ovidio Guzmán López’s guilty plea and what these developments could mean for future cartel prosecutions.

Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Katarina breaks down how Latin American criminal groups have exploited Ukraine’s warzone to gain advanced FPV drone training. In 2025, Mexico’s National Intelligence Center warned Ukraine’s security services that individuals from Mexico and Colombia were joining the International Legion under false identities—not to fight, but to train.

A joint investigation revealed that some Spanish-speaking recruits, including ex-GAFE and former FARC members, focused solely on drone warfare. One operative, “Águila-7,” impressed instructors with his technical skills before disappearing, later linked to Mexican cartel networks.

Through PMC-style logistics and forged documents, these operatives gained access to elite training centers. Ukrainian officials now acknowledge the risk of drone tactics spreading to organized crime and have launched countermeasures with international partners. The episode explores how a battlefield became a training ground for a new kind of warfare.

Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Katarina is joined by a former intelligence analyst to break down how the Chinese Communist Party uses community associations, tech companies, student groups, and overseas police stations to extend its influence in Western countries. Together, they explore the role of fentanyl supply chains, financial entanglements with U.S. elites, and how historical lessons from the Opium Wars shape modern CCP strategy. This episode explores the subtle but far-reaching tactics of political, economic, and societal infiltration. 

Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Katarina discusses the death of Irma Hernández and the growing crisis of femicide in Mexico. She explores how extortion and violence are driving an increase in women’s deaths, shedding light on the dangerous realities many face. This episode dives into the broader implications for safety and justice in the region. 

Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of Borderland Dispatches, Katarina breaks down the case of Opinder Singh Sian, a Canadian man charged in the U.S. with coordinating international methamphetamine shipments. She explores how this ongoing investigation reveals Canada’s growing role as a base for transnational organized crime, linking drug networks across North America, Europe, Australia, and Africa. Katarina examines key details from the DEA affidavit, including alleged ties to major criminal groups and fentanyl precursor schemes, and discusses what this means for Canada’s position in the global drug trade. All charges remain allegations and the case is ongoing.

Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices