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Borderland: Dispatches with Katarina Szulc
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Cartel violence. Kidnappings. Disappearances. The headlines don’t tell the full story.
Borderland: Dispatches, an IRONCLAD Original, delivers raw, on-the-ground updates from Mexico’s cartel war. Hosted by investigative journalist Katarina Szulc, the series offers real-time snapshots of a conflict reshaping the future of both Mexico and the U.S.
With rare access to traffickers, law enforcement, and civilians caught in the crossfire, these fast-moving episodes expose the brutal truth behind the drug war.
New dispatches drop every Thursday.
31 Episodes
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This episode is presented by 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 the discovery of a 25-foot tunnel beneath a vape shop in Laredo, Texas, that investigators believe may be connected to cartel activity. During a joint operation, the DEA and local law enforcement raided the Kush Smoke Emporium and the Tranquility Dispensary, seizing marijuana, cocaine, and hundreds of illegal vape cartridges. Authorities say the tunnel’s purpose is still under investigation, but it highlights how legitimate storefronts can sometimes be linked to illicit operations.
Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original
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On today’s episode, Katarina breaks down the brutal cartel-style execution of Mexican TikTok influencer Esmeralda Ferrer Garibay, her husband, and their two children. Found wrapped in plastic and abandoned in a pickup truck in Guadalajara, their murders raise questions about the dangerous intersection of social media fame and cartel violence.
Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original
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Ground News
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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
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Sponsors: Ground News
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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
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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
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Sponsors:
Ground News
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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On today’s episode, Katarina speaks directly with a man who smuggles people across borders. He explains how the system works — and just how little resistance he faces. From rural roads in Quebec and Vermont to backwoods crossings used year-round, even in dangerous winter conditions, Katarina explores how the U.S.–Canada border is being exploited by smugglers moving people from countries around the world.
She also investigates how illegal firearms enter Canada, often through straw purchases or smuggling routes from the U.S. Used in the majority of gun crimes in major cities, these weapons move through informal street markets and online platforms with little oversight.
Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original
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On today’s episode, Katarina Szulc breaks down the latest developments in the case of Ovidio Guzmán, son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and a former high-ranking member of the Sinaloa cartel. After pleading guilty in U.S. federal court, Ovidio has now been moved to an undisclosed location. Katarina explains what this likely means—especially regarding cooperation with U.S. authorities—and how it could reshape ongoing cartel investigations and U.S.-Mexico relations.
Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original
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On today’s episode, Katarina travels to Ontario’s Six Nations Reserve—one of the largest Indigenous territories in Canada—to expose how organized crime groups are exploiting Native communities along the northern U.S. border. From illegal marijuana grow operations to gun and drug trafficking routes, Katarina uncovers how criminal syndicates are embedding within reservation lands, using jurisdictional loopholes and economic desperation to operate in the shadows.
Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original.
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On today’s episode, Katarina breaks down the recent ICE detention of Julio César Chávez Jr., the former boxing champion and son of a Mexican sports icon, amid allegations of cartel connections. As the U.S. pressures Mexico to crack down on organized crime, Katarina examines why Chávez Jr. was living freely in Los Angeles despite mounting scrutiny—and whether his treatment reflects a double standard. She also explores how cartel influence increasingly reaches into entertainment and celebrity circles, raising deeper questions about soft power, protection, and accountability across borders.
Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original.
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On this episode, Katarina speaks with Stefano Ritondale from @AllSourceNews to examine the current situation unfolding in Sinaloa, Mexico. They discuss the internal divisions within the Sinaloa Cartel, the evolving relationship between Sinaloa and CJNG, and the shifting power dynamics in the region. The conversation also explores possible successors to the cartel’s leadership amid increasing instability.
Follow Stefano on socials:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AllSourceNews
X: @All_Source_News
Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original
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On today’s episode, Katarina breaks down the recent wave of violence in Sinaloa, Mexico, where 20 bodies were found across multiple crime scenes—including four decapitated victims hung from a bridge and five severed heads left in a bag. The killings are believed to be linked to an internal conflict within the Sinaloa cartel, between factions associated with Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán’s sons—known as the Chapitos—and the group tied to longtime cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original
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On today’s episode, Katarina breaks down a recently released Justice Department report detailing how the Sinaloa cartel hired a hacker in 2018 to track FBI personnel and informants in Mexico City. The hacker accessed phone data and surveillance cameras to monitor the movements of an FBI attaché and identify individuals meeting with U.S. officials. Some of those individuals were later targeted by the cartel. The episode explores how cartels are using digital tools to support their operations and what this means for U.S. law enforcement and intelligence efforts abroad.
Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original
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On today’s episode, Katarina breaks down how a potential war between the U.S. and Iran could ignite a parallel conflict in the shadows—one driven not by missiles, but by smugglers, cartels, and covert networks. She unpacks how chaos in the Gulf could ripple across Latin America, empowering groups like the Sinaloa Cartel to expand their reach. From fuel theft and arms diversion to drug trafficking and border infiltration, this is the war few are watching—but one that could reshape the criminal underworld and hit the U.S. homeland in unexpected ways.
Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original
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