With China’s Help, Mexico Is On The Verge of Becoming a ‘Narco State’
SUBSCRIBER+EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW — Deep inside a ravine on the outskirts of a western Mexican city overseen by among the world’s most powerful drug cartels, 45 […] More
Mike Vigil
The Real Impact of COVID on Mexico’s Drug Cartels
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, law enforcement has kept a close eye on the impact the virus might have on drug cartels. Supply […] More
The Structure and Psychology of Drug Cartels
One of the most prominent and visible characteristics of a transnational drug trafficking organization is the existence of a highly formal hierarchy that is distinguished […] More
The Fall and Rise of Cocaine
In 1992, Peru produced an estimated 60 percent of the world’s cocaine. At one time, cocaine production was the largest industry in the country, at […] More
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A Threat to Regional Stability
The problems plaguing the Northern Triangle—Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador—are plenty, but for retired DEA Agent Michael Vigil one stands out among the rest. “Drug […] More
El Chapo’s Arrest Won’t Impact War on Drugs
There was a sigh of relief when the Mexican government successfully re-captured drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman last week. El Chapo, leader of the […] More
The Threat is Real
The Cipher Brief spoke with the DEA’s former Chief of International Operations, Mike Vigil to discuss the threat of convergence. The Cipher Brief: Convergence is […] More