Cartels, Conspiracies, and Camarena

Episode 45: The Trial of Genaro Garcia Luina -- What Happened and Why It Matters

The Brooklyn-based trial of Genaro Garcia Luna, the former Secretary of Public Security of Mexico, has neared its conclusion. In this Episode, we look at the government's case, which was based primarily on the testimony of nine cooperating witnesses, and the defense arguments and tactics.  We also consider what the Garcia Luna case says about prosecutions of cartel members and their alleged associates, both in the past and those yet to be held.  

Episode 44: CDS and CJNG in Europe, the Middle East, and Around the World

Mexican cartels have been steadily expanding their operations beyond North and Central America, particularly in Europe and the Middle East.  In this Episode, we look at these expanded operations, their root causes, and the implications the growth could have on issues such as increased crime and terrorism.  Finally, we look at the impact of the cartels' global presence on anti-drug and counter-cartel efforts in both Mexico and the United States.  

Episode 43 -- The Unholy Trinity: Fentanyl, China and Mexican Cartels

The fentanyl crisis continues to attract media and Congressional attention.  In this Episode, we look at the issue by first looking at the drug itself, its legal and illegal uses, and its manufacturing.  We then investigate China's distribution of precursor chemicals used in the production of fentanyl, as well as Chinese money laundering operations that facilitate the production, manufacturing, and sale of fentanyl.  Finally, we summarize the DEA's public comments regarding the role of Mexican cartels in the trafficking of illegal fentanyl in the United States and its focus on the CDS and CJNG, which the DEA says are the two cartels most responsible for the fentanyl crisis in America.  

Episode 42: The Capture of Ovidio Guzman: What Really Happened and What It Means

New and intriguing details of the January 5, 2023, arrest of Ovidio Guzman, one of Los Chapitos, the leaders of a prime faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, have continued to emerge both in the press and on social media.  In this Episode, we look at those new details and try to draw some conclusions as to what they mean for Los Chapitos, CDS as a whole, and the relationship between CDS and the Mexican government.

Episode 41 -- CDS and CJNG: Past, Present, and Future

CJNG and CDS dominate the cartel landscape in Mexico today. But the two cartels operate in distinct ways and have very different strategies, economically and structurally.  In this Episode, we compare and contrast the operations of CDS and CJNG and identify key questions about the future of each cartel.  

Episode 40 -- El Chapo, Los Chapitos, and the Sinaloa Cartel

In order to understand today's Mexican cartels and the cartel wars, it is critical to understand the (mostly) men and families that formed and lead the cartels of today and the past.  After looking at El Mencho and El Mayo, in this Episode we examine El Chapo's rise to power, his blood battles with the Tijuana Cartel and the BLO, and his arrest and extradition.  We then look at the ascension of some of his sons, Los Chapitos, to leadership of, at least, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, their expansion of their father's business, and we speculate on their future and that of the Sinaloa Cartel.  

Episode 39 -- Who Is El Mayo and How Has He Survived So Long?

Ismael Zambada Garcia, or "El Mayo," has been a key leader of the Sinaloa Cartel since 1989, overseeing the Cartel's rise to being one of the most influential drug trafficking, criminal organizations in the world.  Despite his prominence, El Mayo has stayed in power for more than 3 decades by being a strategic thinker who has kept those in his organization happy and has given value to avoiding the spotlight and instead going unnoticed.  In this Episode, we examine El Mayo's life, his leadership of CDS, and the future of CDS given El Mayo's age and health concerns.
 

Episode 38: Who Really is El Mencho and Why Hasn’t He Been Captured?

CJNG has exploded into one of the largest and most successful Cartels in Mexico and is responsible for a significant portion of the drugs trafficked from Mexico into the US.  CJNG's rise to power, it's almost unmatched brutality, and its economic prowess all can be attributed to its unquestioned leader El Mencho.  Shockingly, the public information on El Mencho is minimal and filled with urban legend, gossip, and innuendo.  In this Episode, we look at what really is known about El Mencho and discuss his confounding ability to evade arrest.  

Episode 37 -- Hidden ”Gems” in Congressional Report on Mexican Cartels

In June, the Congressional Research Service issued a report titled "Mexico: Organized Crime and Drug Trafficking Organizations."  In this episode, we look at the key elements of the report, including its analysis of current Mexican cartels, their illicit activities, and their leadership.  We also discuss some of the drawbacks to or flaws in the report and how they affect policy considerations in both the U.S. and Mexico.  

Episode 36 -- An Inside Look into the Arellano Felix Organization (Mexico’s Tijuana Cartel)

Steve Duncan is a retired Special Agent with the California Department of Justice where he spent years investigating the AFO on both sides of the border.  In this Episode, Steve shares his extensive knowledge and unique perspectives on the AFO, dispels oft repeated misinformation, and provides critical insight into this brutally prolific cartel and its leaders.