History

When "Los Palillos" Dissolved Bodies in California

The Tijuana Cartel breakaway used a honey trap to seduce victims for their gruesome U.S. murder trail

Mar 15 •

Cartels As Protection Rackets

How Mexican mobs took over the government’s shake-down industry

Feb 26 •

Benjamin T. Smith

Mexico's Worst Narco Massacres

Mexico has suffered slaughters like war zones. How do we reckon with them?

Nov 15, 2023 •

How the CIA Promoted Magic Mushrooms

The weirdest story in the drug war connects psychedelics, a Mexican healer, Life magazine and U.S. espionage

Oct 20, 2023 •

America's First Drug Cartel Was Not Colombian or Mexican; It Was The Italian-Jewish Mob

The image of the U.S. mafia shunning drugs is pure Hollywood. Lucky Luciano and Arnold Rothstein built America's narco network.

Sep 11, 2023 •

Chalino, King of the Drug Ballad

I dig deeper into the life of the Sinaloan icon

Jul 21, 2023 •

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