The New Era of Cartel Warfare — How Modern Wars Are Reshaping Cartels

Producer's Note: Enjoy this interview from Katarina's appearance on the IRONCLAD Original, Borderland: Narcosis with Vincent "Rocco" Vargas. On today’s episode, Vince welcomes back Katarina Szulc, investigative journalist and host of the Ironclad Original, Borderland: Dispatches. Kat shares insights from her recent reporting in Ukraine, where authorities are investigating claims that foreign fighters with cartel ties traveled to the front lines to learn modern combat tactics before returning to Latin America. The conversation also explores foreign mercenaries in Ukraine, the evolution of cartel warfare, U.S. pressure on cartel leadership, corruption in Mexico, and what these developments could mean for the future of organized crime. Borderland: Dispatches is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:44) Cartels, Ukraine, and FPV Drone Warfare (03:26) The Colombian Connection & Drone Schools in Lviv (09:52) American Mercenaries & Background Checks on the Front Lines (11:33) Gamers vs. Combat: How Simple is FPV Drone Flying? (15:24) Behind the Scenes of the Global Mercenary Recruitment Machine (25:06) US Boots on the Ground & The Standoff over Drone Strikes in Mexico (29:51) Cartel Corruption & Political Gaslighting in Sinaloa (34:22) The 2026 World Cup: A Cartel Moneymaker? (47:17) 2026 Wrap-Up: The Year of the Fallen Kingpins & The Endless Drug War Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices