Public Sanctions, Private Crossings: Inside America’s Double Game with the Cartels

On today’s episode, Katarina examines the complex and often contradictory U.S. strategy toward cartel networks. While recent sanctions target businesses tied to criminal organizations—ranging from luxury spas to shell companies—internal records suggest that some cartel-affiliated individuals are quietly crossing the U.S. border with legal authorization. This dispatch explores the murky space between public enforcement actions and behind-the-scenes agreements, raising new questions about how the drug war is being fought—and who is shielded from its consequences. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original. SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/borderland-dispatches-with-katarina-szulc/id1814920364 SUBSCRIBE ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/7EvQ4S8NnDqqSdCRhZvPaI?si=ea91d3147b6b46bc