Ex DEA Michael Brown: How Cartels Built a $50 Billion Empire

In this compelling episode, former DEA agent Michael Brown shares rare and critical insights into the global drug trade, focusing on the cartels' deep-rooted power in Mexico, their economic integration, and the growing threat posed by fentanyl and synthetic opioids. With 32 years of field experience across South America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, Brown discusses how the U.S. could radically reduce drug trafficking through border reform, the true scale of cartel employment and economic impact, and why prevention alone is not enough. This is a sobering, in-depth look at why the opioid crisis persists and what it would take to disrupt the current global narcotics infrastructure.