Cartels, Conspiracies, and Camarena

Episode 125: Oil Smuggling for the Cartels ... in Utah?

In this Mother's Day episode, I first discuss pea agreement between the U.S. government and Ovidio Guzman and what it really means.
Next, I look at the arrest of a husband and wife from Sandy, Utah, who have been indicted on charges of smuggling and selling oil from Mexico for the benefit of Mexican cartels.  
Finally, I address some shameful comments from retired DEA agent Hector Berrellez.

Episode 124: The Civil Case of Camarena v. Caro-Quintero

In this Episode, I dissect the Complaint in the recently filed federal litigation by the Camarena family against Rafael Caro-Quintero, Ernesto Fonseca, Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo, and the Sinaloa Cartel.
In addition to discussing the causes of action and certain jurisdictional elements, I look at the factual allegations in the Complaint to look at several issues relating to the Camarena case.  Specifically, I look at the nature of the so-called Guadalajara Cartel, the motives for the abduction of Agent Camarena, and some unknown or disputed facts relating to Agent Camarena's abduction.  

Episode 123: Inside the Fight for Control of CDS

It has been around 9 months since El Mayo and Joaquin Guzman were flown to the United States and arrested and it's been almost exactly 7 months since the fighting between Los Chapitos and La Mayiza broke out in Culiacan.  
In this Episode, I look at the prevailing theories on the rendition of El Mayo, the structure of CDS, and the key questions asked when the violence started.
I then discuss some recent events, including actions by the followers of Chapo Isidro.  
Finally, I identify the biggest winners and losers thus far in the fight for control of CDS.

Episode 122: The Sentencing of El Menchito and the Impact of Trump's Tariff Threats on Mexico's Fight Against the Cartels

In this Episode, I first discuss some recent news events, including the dismantling of a huge methamphetamine laboratory in Zacatecas,
I then look at the sentencing of El Menchito, the son of CJNG leader El Mencho in a D.C. federal court.
Finally, I discuss some recent reports and articles discussing the ways the Scheinbaum administration is changing the Mexican government's actions against the cartels and the impact on those changes resulting from the tariff threats by the Trump administration.  

Episode 121: Extraditions, Extraditions, and More Extraditions

In this Episode, I look at the recent "extradition" of 29 narcos from Mexico to the United States and identify the most prominent figures who were extradited and the significance of their extraditions.
In particular, I discuss the extradition of Rafael Caro Quintero, and I discuss whether he will face charges relating to kidnapping, interrogation, and murder of Agent Kiki Camarena. I also give my opinion on the person to blame if Caro does not face those charges.
Finally, I provide my conjecture about the motivations of the Mexican government and suggest that President Scheinbaum did not cave to tariff pressures from President Trump but, instead, extradited the narcos as part of her long-term plan for dealing with the cartels.  

Episode 120: Are the Reports of the Demise of CDS Premature?

As Los Chapitos continue to suffer from the arrest and capture of more leaders, and given the reports of Ivan's narrow escapes, many pundits have proclaimed the demise of the Sinaloa Cartel.
In this Episode, I look at the arrests of key leaders within Los Chapitos and discuss the status of Los Chapitos today. I then examine the repercussions of both the disruption in CDS and the possible collapse of Los Chapitos and show how those effects may be felt in all of Latin America, as well as other places in the world. Finally, I hypothesize about what might happen if Ivan is captured and how such a capture might affect the CDS as a whole.   

Episode 119: Remembering Enrique "Kiki" Camarena

Forty years ago today, DEA Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena was abducted outside the American consulate in Guadalajara.  Agent Camarena was subsequently interrogated, brutally tortured, and murdered.
In this Episode, with my guest Steve Duncan, we discuss Agent Camarena's legacy and impact, the efforts of the Enrique S. Camarena Foundation to educate the nation's youth on the dangers of drugs, and we discuss the possibility of more closure coming for the family and friends of Agent Camarena.  

Episode 118: Plea Negotiations, Plea Negotiations, and More Plea Negotiations

In this Episode, in addition to touching on some recent news, I discuss the plethora of reports asserting that many of the main cartel figures in custody in the U.S. are engaged in plea negotiations with federal prosecutors.  
Specifically, I discuss the nature and prevalence of plea agreements in the federal criminal justice system.  Then I look at the specific reports of plea discussions with Ovidio Guzman, Joaquin Guzman, and El Mayo, including what each may offer to prosecutors and possible impediments to plea agreements.
Finally, I consider the value and wisdom of some of the government's plea-bargaining strategy and question how long that strategy can (or should) continue. 

Episode 117: A Conversation with James Kuykendall

In this Episode, I discuss the Camarena case with James Kuykendall. Significantly, in addition to discussing some little-known facts about the case, Mr. Kuykendall directly addresses many claims, rumors, and inuendo, including many raised by Hector Berrellez and others in The Last Narc.  

Episode 116: The Re-Arrest of El Min Licenciado and America's Failed Policy

In this Episode I discuss the recent re-arrest of El Mini Licenciado who had been given an early release from federal custody as a reward for information on drug traffickers and the Sinaloa Cartel and, most importantly, his testimony against El Chapo.  
I also examine the long-standing policy of the US and the DOJ to "reward" narco traffickers who provide information deemed valuable to the government. Specifically, I consider whether this policy has yielded results sufficient to justify its costs.