1
00:00:20,988 --> 00:00:23,764
[tense music]
2
00:00:24,057 --> 00:00:31,908
♪♪
3
00:00:45,913 --> 00:00:47,859
- All right.
4
00:00:49,383 --> 00:00:51,556
[sighs]
5
00:00:51,852 --> 00:00:54,059
- It's recording.
- Speeding.
6
00:00:54,354 --> 00:00:57,198
[indistinct chatter]
7
00:01:05,599 --> 00:01:12,244
♪♪
8
00:01:31,224 --> 00:01:39,143
♪♪
9
00:01:43,170 --> 00:01:46,117
-[speaking Spanish]
10
00:01:48,308 --> 00:01:51,289
- We're getting tough on drugs,
and we mean business.
11
00:01:51,578 --> 00:01:55,025
For those who are thinking
of using drugs, we say stop.
12
00:01:55,315 --> 00:01:59,092
And to those who are pushing
drugs, we say beware.
13
00:02:00,754 --> 00:02:02,859
- Searches at the border
crossing points
14
00:02:03,156 --> 00:02:05,261
were the main method used
in keeping drugs
15
00:02:05,525 --> 00:02:09,996
and other unwanted materials
out of the United States.
16
00:02:10,297 --> 00:02:12,208
- For all of the big amount
of drug busts,
17
00:02:12,499 --> 00:02:15,537
there's barely a dent
in the multi billion dollar flow
18
00:02:15,836 --> 00:02:18,214
of cocaine and heroin
into the United States.
19
00:02:18,505 --> 00:02:20,041
- If you're offered drugs,
20
00:02:20,340 --> 00:02:22,047
you'll know what to do.
21
00:02:22,342 --> 00:02:24,948
You'll have the courage to
stand up for what you believe
22
00:02:25,212 --> 00:02:28,318
and say "no."
23
00:04:38,812 --> 00:04:41,622
[sombre music]
24
00:04:41,915 --> 00:04:49,766
♪♪
25
00:05:22,622 --> 00:05:24,829
- I grew up along the border.
26
00:05:25,125 --> 00:05:26,468
I knew how to talk the game.
27
00:05:26,726 --> 00:05:30,572
I knew, you know,
how the game was played.
28
00:05:30,864 --> 00:05:32,309
The town where I grew up,
29
00:05:32,566 --> 00:05:34,737
it was a natural staging
ground for the Juarez Cartel,
30
00:05:34,901 --> 00:05:36,744
for the drugs that crossed.
31
00:05:37,037 --> 00:05:39,210
At that time,
a vast majority of the cocaine
32
00:05:39,506 --> 00:05:40,812
that was coming into the country
33
00:05:41,007 --> 00:05:45,080
was going
through that neighborhood.
34
00:05:50,884 --> 00:05:54,889
[buzzing]
35
00:05:55,188 --> 00:05:57,065
I remember going to a party
during high school.
36
00:05:57,357 --> 00:05:59,394
It must have been
my sophomore, junior year.
37
00:05:59,693 --> 00:06:01,001
We went to these brothers' house
38
00:06:01,261 --> 00:06:03,172
that we used to hang out with.
39
00:06:03,430 --> 00:06:04,773
One of the brothers says,
40
00:06:05,065 --> 00:06:06,309
"Hey, you guys want to
see something cool?"
41
00:06:06,333 --> 00:06:08,006
I'm like, "Yeah."
42
00:06:08,268 --> 00:06:10,546
We go into the garage, and he
opens up one of the coolers,
43
00:06:10,570 --> 00:06:12,277
and it was full
of bricks of cocaine.
44
00:06:12,572 --> 00:06:15,883
I mean up to the top.
45
00:06:16,176 --> 00:06:18,020
There's always a lot
of temptation where there is
46
00:06:18,044 --> 00:06:19,564
a lot of poverty
and a lot of struggle.
47
00:06:19,679 --> 00:06:21,590
A lot of us
fell into that temptation.
48
00:06:21,882 --> 00:06:23,259
It was only natural.
49
00:06:23,550 --> 00:06:26,053
-[speaking Spanish]
50
00:06:26,353 --> 00:06:27,855
♪ Ciento cuatro punto uno ♪
51
00:06:28,121 --> 00:06:30,624
- ♪ Norteño y mas ♪
52
00:06:30,924 --> 00:06:33,632
[upbeat Latin music]
53
00:06:33,927 --> 00:06:39,400
♪♪
54
00:06:39,699 --> 00:06:44,239
- You can't even describe Texas
without including Mexico.
55
00:06:44,537 --> 00:06:47,074
That's what a lot of people
fail to realize.
56
00:06:47,374 --> 00:06:50,150
It's everything, from the way
we speak, the food we eat.
57
00:06:50,443 --> 00:06:52,286
It's just part
of the culture here,
58
00:06:52,579 --> 00:06:54,490
part of the fabric
of this country.
59
00:07:02,122 --> 00:07:06,798
I personally
was not a big-time dealer.
60
00:07:07,093 --> 00:07:09,073
Most of the time,
the loads I smuggled
61
00:07:09,329 --> 00:07:12,310
were in the 200-pound range.
62
00:07:12,599 --> 00:07:15,136
I did buy
from some small-time growers
63
00:07:15,435 --> 00:07:17,108
up in the mountains of Mexico.
64
00:07:17,404 --> 00:07:20,613
And I also bought from very
big, powerful organizations
65
00:07:20,907 --> 00:07:24,514
that primarily operated
on the border.
66
00:07:24,811 --> 00:07:26,449
I was caught up in it.
67
00:07:26,746 --> 00:07:31,092
I was a willful participant,
and I jumped into it headfirst.
68
00:08:18,164 --> 00:08:21,668
- In 2008 and 2009,
we started hearing
69
00:08:21,968 --> 00:08:24,346
from local organizations
in Mexico
70
00:08:24,637 --> 00:08:26,048
that people were being taken,
71
00:08:26,339 --> 00:08:29,320
sometimes by police or soldiers,
72
00:08:29,576 --> 00:08:32,352
sometimes just by armed groups.
73
00:08:32,645 --> 00:08:36,149
The patterns that
we eventually realized
74
00:08:36,416 --> 00:08:39,522
made up the worst crisis
in disappearance
75
00:08:39,819 --> 00:08:43,357
that we had seen in the region
in decades.
76
00:08:43,656 --> 00:08:45,067
The only other precedence we had
77
00:08:45,358 --> 00:08:47,497
for disappearances
on a mass scale
78
00:08:47,761 --> 00:08:50,401
were under the dictatorships
of Pinochet
79
00:08:50,697 --> 00:08:52,870
and also in the dictatorship
in Argentina.
80
00:08:56,336 --> 00:08:59,283
One of the places that we
were getting the most reports
81
00:08:59,572 --> 00:09:02,052
was Monterrey, and
those reports were coming to us
82
00:09:02,342 --> 00:09:06,688
in large part from a small
organization run by a nun.
83
00:09:06,946 --> 00:09:08,448
The nun was Consuelo.
84
00:09:08,748 --> 00:09:11,957
And they were the ones
that were with the families
85
00:09:12,252 --> 00:09:13,812
when they were going
to report the cases
86
00:09:14,087 --> 00:09:17,227
at a time when reporting cases
could get you disappeared.
87
00:10:28,361 --> 00:10:31,137
[phone ringing]
88
00:12:40,827 --> 00:12:43,398
- My life has been impacted
by the narco
89
00:12:43,663 --> 00:12:46,007
ever since I can remember.
90
00:12:46,299 --> 00:12:47,835
For me,
it was just a way of life.
91
00:12:48,134 --> 00:12:51,411
It wasn't anything
out of the ordinary.
92
00:12:51,671 --> 00:12:53,947
People in Socorro
had just immigrated
93
00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:55,651
into the United States.
94
00:12:55,942 --> 00:12:58,855
We really didn't have
any established roots.
95
00:12:59,145 --> 00:13:01,591
The Juarez Cartel used that as
an advantage where they could
96
00:13:01,848 --> 00:13:03,688
reach out to a family member
in Mexico and say,
97
00:13:03,850 --> 00:13:05,728
"Hey, you know, we want to use
your cousin's house
98
00:13:05,752 --> 00:13:07,322
as a staging ground."
99
00:13:07,620 --> 00:13:10,157
Your friends that decided
to get into illegal activity
100
00:13:10,456 --> 00:13:11,833
to try to make ends meet,
101
00:13:12,125 --> 00:13:13,968
you would see them
from one year to the next,
102
00:13:14,260 --> 00:13:15,638
actually from one month
to the next,
103
00:13:15,662 --> 00:13:16,868
have all sons of money
104
00:13:17,163 --> 00:13:19,769
and all sorts of cars
and vehicles.
105
00:13:20,033 --> 00:13:21,810
At the time that
I was growing up as a teenager,
106
00:13:21,834 --> 00:13:23,507
we didn't believe that there was
107
00:13:23,803 --> 00:13:25,948
a lot of opportunity outside,
you know, in the outside world.
108
00:13:25,972 --> 00:13:28,976
Socorro was it, and if somebody
was offering you money,
109
00:13:29,275 --> 00:13:30,515
you know, why not?
110
00:13:30,810 --> 00:13:33,882
He's doing it.
Why shouldn't I do it?
111
00:13:34,180 --> 00:13:36,888
[gentle music]
112
00:13:37,183 --> 00:13:45,034
♪♪
113
00:14:14,654 --> 00:14:16,327
What are the totals so far?
114
00:14:16,589 --> 00:14:19,729
- There's over 1,000 pounds
of marijuana seized.
115
00:14:20,026 --> 00:14:24,065
They'll probably indict, like,
about ten people later.
116
00:14:24,364 --> 00:14:26,401
- I'm the Assistant
Special Agent in Charge
117
00:14:26,699 --> 00:14:28,610
for Homeland Security
here in El Paso.
118
00:14:28,901 --> 00:14:30,505
I run the Narcotics divisions,
119
00:14:30,770 --> 00:14:33,182
and I also run the Intelligence.
120
00:14:33,439 --> 00:14:35,214
Can you come to my office
for a second?
121
00:14:41,681 --> 00:14:43,627
I was involved in
some high-profile cases that,
122
00:14:43,916 --> 00:14:45,293
had it not been for us
123
00:14:45,585 --> 00:14:48,088
being able to infiltrate
a certain organization,
124
00:14:48,388 --> 00:14:51,426
we would never be able to
really dismantle entire cells.
125
00:14:51,724 --> 00:14:53,601
Yeah, we could do
two or three arrests
126
00:14:53,893 --> 00:14:56,134
and take a couple
of middle individuals off,
127
00:14:56,429 --> 00:15:00,036
but if you truly wanted to know
how the cartels operate
128
00:15:00,299 --> 00:15:03,075
and-and who was running,
who was, you know-
129
00:15:03,369 --> 00:15:05,576
how the... the cartels
were being shapen up,
130
00:15:05,872 --> 00:15:06,942
both in Mexico and here,
131
00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:09,550
you really needed
an undercover in there.
132
00:15:09,809 --> 00:15:12,915
What was appealing was the fact
that not everybody can do it.
133
00:15:13,212 --> 00:15:15,624
Not everybody is effective.
134
00:15:15,915 --> 00:15:19,488
In undercover work,
it's just you and your mind.
135
00:15:19,786 --> 00:15:21,663
You really have
to rely on your smarts.
136
00:15:21,954 --> 00:15:24,764
You have to rely
on thinking on your feet.
137
00:15:25,057 --> 00:15:26,902
When you're dealing with
these individuals, you know,
138
00:15:26,926 --> 00:15:28,997
you would know that, hey,
this guy is Juarez Cartel
139
00:15:29,295 --> 00:15:30,740
or this guy is Sinaloa Cartel,
140
00:15:30,997 --> 00:15:34,274
and this guy is responsible
for murders in Mexico.
141
00:15:34,567 --> 00:15:36,278
You're walking a thin line
'cause you're trying
142
00:15:36,302 --> 00:15:38,805
to convince that guy
that you're as heavy as he is.
143
00:15:39,105 --> 00:15:42,109
And so its almost like
a dance that, you know,
144
00:15:42,408 --> 00:15:43,819
he's telling you
how badass he is,
145
00:15:44,110 --> 00:15:46,021
and he means it
because he's done it,
146
00:15:46,312 --> 00:15:47,956
and you're countering
right back at him like,
147
00:15:47,980 --> 00:15:49,124
"Hey, you're not
impressing me, man.
148
00:15:49,148 --> 00:15:51,424
This is not my first job."
149
00:15:53,186 --> 00:15:54,688
- From about two,
three weeks ago,
150
00:15:54,987 --> 00:15:57,490
we were trying to do
the 15 pounds of meth.
151
00:15:57,790 --> 00:16:00,464
That confidential source
told us that Delgado
152
00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:03,468
is looking to sell
5 keys of meth,
153
00:16:03,763 --> 00:16:06,175
up to 15 pounds, but obviously
that won't happen.
154
00:16:06,466 --> 00:16:07,826
We're going to
take him down today.
155
00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:09,308
- What's our preferred scenario?
156
00:16:09,602 --> 00:16:11,442
As soon as you guys get flashed
with the drugs,
157
00:16:11,471 --> 00:16:13,031
you guys are gonna
give the bust signal?
158
00:16:13,139 --> 00:16:14,709
- As soon as I get
the merchandise,
159
00:16:15,007 --> 00:16:16,585
I'm gonna give it to Juan,
and I'm gonna tell him,
160
00:16:16,609 --> 00:16:18,384
"Cut it to see
if it's the real dope," right?
161
00:16:18,678 --> 00:16:21,682
As soon as that's it, bro,
that's gonna be the signal.
162
00:16:21,981 --> 00:16:23,790
- There's always
the potential for the rip,
163
00:16:24,050 --> 00:16:26,223
especially if they're
not really asking for a flash.
164
00:16:26,519 --> 00:16:28,021
You know what I mean?
165
00:16:28,321 --> 00:16:29,322
And by the same token,
166
00:16:29,622 --> 00:16:31,102
they might be thinking
the same thing.
167
00:16:31,290 --> 00:16:32,601
You know, that you guys are
going to rip them off,
168
00:16:32,625 --> 00:16:33,797
so they might be, you know-
169
00:16:34,060 --> 00:16:35,437
Hey, you guys know
what you're doing,
170
00:16:35,461 --> 00:16:37,372
so just be careful.
171
00:16:37,663 --> 00:16:39,870
Did I ever dream that I would
be running a division? No.
172
00:16:40,166 --> 00:16:42,510
I felt like, you know, I'll be
able to make a difference,
173
00:16:42,802 --> 00:16:44,804
catch a few loads
of marijuana, cocaine,
174
00:16:45,071 --> 00:16:47,347
and be a successful
law enforcement agent.
175
00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:49,347
I just kind of fell
into the covertness
176
00:16:49,642 --> 00:16:52,384
of federal law enforcement,
into the undercover of it.
177
00:16:52,678 --> 00:16:54,589
And a lot of it
has to do with the fact
178
00:16:54,881 --> 00:16:56,053
that I was from Socorro.
179
00:16:56,349 --> 00:16:59,057
[upbeat Latin music]
180
00:16:59,352 --> 00:17:02,356
♪♪
181
00:17:02,655 --> 00:17:04,430
[dog barking]
182
00:17:13,165 --> 00:17:15,042
- I'm being slow.
183
00:17:18,838 --> 00:17:21,079
- Yeah, I gotta clean
this cloth too.
184
00:17:21,374 --> 00:17:22,580
I first met Don,
185
00:17:22,875 --> 00:17:24,684
he was kind of skinny
at that point.
186
00:17:24,944 --> 00:17:27,424
He's kind of ruggedly handsome,
I think.
187
00:17:27,713 --> 00:17:29,124
You didn't eat those potatoes.
188
00:17:29,415 --> 00:17:31,088
When we started going out,
189
00:17:31,384 --> 00:17:33,591
I learned he was
a marijuana smuggler,
190
00:17:33,886 --> 00:17:37,095
planeloads of it.
191
00:17:37,390 --> 00:17:40,462
He was pretty forthcoming
about the different methods
192
00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:43,798
that they used
to bring stuff back and forth.
193
00:17:44,096 --> 00:17:46,269
He was an outlaw back then.
194
00:17:52,071 --> 00:17:53,778
' [grunts]
195
00:17:58,878 --> 00:18:03,725
I had struggled trying to
make a living in agriculture.
196
00:18:03,983 --> 00:18:05,257
Not here to hurt you.
197
00:18:05,551 --> 00:18:07,497
There is virtually no farmer
that owns land
198
00:18:07,787 --> 00:18:09,664
through conventional means
that isn't in debt
199
00:18:09,956 --> 00:18:13,995
to the bank and slave to 'em.
200
00:18:14,293 --> 00:18:18,070
I owed the production credit
association $800,000
201
00:18:18,331 --> 00:18:19,969
at 14% interest.
202
00:18:20,266 --> 00:18:22,746
It was a struggle.
203
00:18:23,002 --> 00:18:28,782
So I decided to try to go to
Mexico and buy some marijuana.
204
00:18:30,409 --> 00:18:32,514
I walked across the river
205
00:18:32,812 --> 00:18:35,588
and loaded it
into the back of a Suburban,
206
00:18:35,848 --> 00:18:40,661
and I successfully smuggled
my first load.
207
00:18:40,953 --> 00:18:46,130
It was terribly amateurish,
but I got away with it.
208
00:18:49,695 --> 00:18:53,165
I took that load
to a man in Plainview, Texas,
209
00:18:53,466 --> 00:18:56,504
and I sold all of it
in a matter of hours.
210
00:18:56,802 --> 00:19:00,477
One big sack, about 600 a pound.
211
00:19:00,773 --> 00:19:03,652
To me at the time,
that was a lot of money.
212
00:19:03,943 --> 00:19:05,616
So it just became
part of the routine.
213
00:19:05,878 --> 00:19:08,620
About every two weeks do a load.
214
00:19:20,159 --> 00:19:24,733
I would get up, go down
to the river real early.
215
00:19:25,031 --> 00:19:27,136
There was less surveillance,
216
00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:30,540
and most people are about
halfway asleep at that time.
217
00:19:30,836 --> 00:19:33,146
You know,
they don't notice things.
218
00:19:33,406 --> 00:19:34,714
That's when I would come out
219
00:19:35,007 --> 00:19:37,578
and then drive to the city,
drop stuff off,
220
00:19:37,877 --> 00:19:39,550
pick up money
from the previous load,
221
00:19:39,845 --> 00:19:44,385
and head home
and go back to work.
222
00:19:44,684 --> 00:19:48,757
I was not an employee
of anybody down there.
223
00:19:49,055 --> 00:19:51,763
I dealt with rival factions,
224
00:19:52,058 --> 00:19:56,097
and that's very much against
the norm of what goes on today.
225
00:19:56,395 --> 00:19:59,842
You would not be allowed
to do that today.
226
00:20:00,099 --> 00:20:03,569
I'd been buried down
into the organization so far
227
00:20:03,869 --> 00:20:06,247
that I didn't even have
a clue where I...
228
00:20:06,539 --> 00:20:09,611
You know, where I fit
in this thing.
229
00:20:09,909 --> 00:20:14,449
And there was a multinational,
international business going on,
230
00:20:14,747 --> 00:20:16,749
and I was just
a little cog in the wheel.
231
00:23:16,028 --> 00:23:19,066
- Rough justice in
the Mexican City of Monterrey.
232
00:23:19,365 --> 00:23:22,471
The two corpses found hanging
were, according to local media,
233
00:23:22,768 --> 00:23:24,645
members of 21 drugs cartel.
234
00:27:11,430 --> 00:27:13,842
- I actually spent some time
in the Middle East.
235
00:27:14,133 --> 00:27:15,612
You get danger pay.
236
00:27:15,868 --> 00:27:16,868
You get armored vehicles.
237
00:27:17,102 --> 00:27:18,479
You would get escorts.
238
00:27:18,770 --> 00:27:20,681
You know, and it's considered
a danger post,
239
00:27:20,973 --> 00:27:24,284
but I actually felt safer
in the Middle East
240
00:27:24,543 --> 00:27:26,648
than I did in Monterrey.
241
00:27:26,945 --> 00:27:28,151
I was assigned
242
00:27:28,447 --> 00:27:31,656
to the U.S. consulate
in Monterrey.
243
00:27:31,950 --> 00:27:33,452
We were investigating
244
00:27:33,719 --> 00:27:35,562
high-level members
of the Gulf Cartel
245
00:27:35,854 --> 00:27:40,303
and high-level members
of the Zetas.
246
00:27:40,559 --> 00:27:42,061
The difference between the Zetas
247
00:27:42,361 --> 00:27:44,034
and your traditional cartels
248
00:27:44,329 --> 00:27:45,740
is that the Zetas,
249
00:27:46,031 --> 00:27:48,136
they don't follow
any sort of rules.
250
00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:51,176
The majority of the
high-ranking cartel members,
251
00:27:51,470 --> 00:27:53,006
they grew up in the drug game.
252
00:27:53,305 --> 00:27:54,716
Their father was
a cartel member.
253
00:27:55,007 --> 00:27:56,816
Their grandfather
was a cartel member.
254
00:27:57,075 --> 00:27:59,681
All these individuals
know the rules.
255
00:27:59,978 --> 00:28:02,018
You don't kill anybody
unless you're absolutely sure
256
00:28:02,314 --> 00:28:03,987
that they're either
a source, a snitch,
257
00:28:04,249 --> 00:28:06,661
or they're a rival cartel
that needs to be taken care of.
258
00:28:06,919 --> 00:28:09,763
You would never see just mass
killings of innocent people.
259
00:28:10,055 --> 00:28:11,693
It was targeted.
260
00:28:23,769 --> 00:28:25,112
- I've called it a game changer
261
00:28:25,404 --> 00:28:28,510
when the Zetas got
into the dope game.
262
00:28:28,774 --> 00:28:31,516
The Zetas were
a group of military
263
00:28:31,777 --> 00:28:34,690
that were specially trained
to go after the cartels,
264
00:28:34,947 --> 00:28:37,223
ultimately as a group
defected from the military
265
00:28:37,516 --> 00:28:40,759
and offered their services
to the Gulf Cartel.
266
00:28:41,053 --> 00:28:42,453
You give them
a little bit of power,
267
00:28:42,588 --> 00:28:44,228
you know, you give them
unlimited weapons,
268
00:28:44,523 --> 00:28:45,797
and they're military.
269
00:28:46,091 --> 00:28:47,691
If you hit the military,
what do they do?
270
00:28:47,793 --> 00:28:50,137
They strike back,
and so a lot of these guys,
271
00:28:50,429 --> 00:28:52,029
they have that mentality
where, you know,
272
00:28:52,097 --> 00:28:53,405
we don't care who you are.
273
00:28:53,699 --> 00:28:55,059
You know,
we're gonna go after you.
274
00:29:04,543 --> 00:29:07,387
These guys don't have that-
275
00:29:07,646 --> 00:29:09,592
those unwritten rules
engraved in their head.
276
00:29:09,881 --> 00:29:10,916
[gunfire]
277
00:29:11,216 --> 00:29:12,490
- Move!
278
00:29:12,784 --> 00:29:15,264
- We could almost feel
the tension building.
279
00:29:15,554 --> 00:29:16,798
They would try
to intimidate us, you know.
280
00:29:16,822 --> 00:29:18,165
They would follow us.
281
00:29:18,457 --> 00:29:20,562
They would do surveillance
on the consulate
282
00:29:20,826 --> 00:29:22,601
to the point where they shot
at the consulate
283
00:29:22,894 --> 00:29:23,894
and threw a grenade.
284
00:29:24,129 --> 00:29:26,473
[gunfire]
285
00:29:26,765 --> 00:29:30,144
Back in the day,
that was unheard of.
286
00:29:36,775 --> 00:29:37,913
[exhales deeply]
287
00:29:50,088 --> 00:29:52,466
- When I first involved
in the marijuana business,
288
00:29:52,758 --> 00:29:55,034
nobody used weapons.
289
00:29:55,327 --> 00:29:56,863
You loaned somebody a product,
290
00:29:57,162 --> 00:29:58,869
and they came back and paid you.
291
00:29:59,164 --> 00:30:01,440
There was no fear that these
guys were going to shoot you
292
00:30:01,700 --> 00:30:03,179
or come steal your stuff.
293
00:30:03,468 --> 00:30:05,971
And all of a sudden,
everybody is carrying a gun,
294
00:30:06,271 --> 00:30:07,978
and you couldn't trust anybody.
295
00:30:08,273 --> 00:30:11,982
The drug trade changed.
296
00:30:12,277 --> 00:30:14,553
- This is you as a young man?
- Yeah, that's me.
297
00:30:14,846 --> 00:30:17,690
- Man, I wouldn't
have recognized you.
298
00:30:17,983 --> 00:30:20,190
You used to wear
tejano too, huh?
299
00:30:20,485 --> 00:30:21,862
- Yeah.
Used to wear...
300
00:30:22,154 --> 00:30:25,658
- You don't do that any more.
You gave up the-
301
00:30:25,957 --> 00:30:28,801
- When my dad-l was gonna go
visit him in Big Spring.
302
00:30:29,061 --> 00:30:32,406
- Man, he looks young there,
doesn't he?
303
00:30:32,698 --> 00:30:36,168
- I first remember seeing
Don in Piedritas.
304
00:30:36,468 --> 00:30:38,470
He stood out
because this is Mexico,
305
00:30:38,737 --> 00:30:42,480
and all of a sudden you hear-
you see a gringo.
306
00:30:42,741 --> 00:30:44,687
This is towards the end.
- Yeah.
307
00:30:44,976 --> 00:30:46,478
- One of his last pictures.
308
00:30:46,745 --> 00:30:48,315
When you're
in the drug business,
309
00:30:48,580 --> 00:30:50,218
you can't trust anyone.
310
00:30:50,515 --> 00:30:52,722
That's one of the main reasons
why you bring in family,
311
00:30:53,018 --> 00:30:55,430
because you assume
that you can trust family.
312
00:30:55,721 --> 00:30:57,928
My dad found that trust in Don.
313
00:30:58,223 --> 00:31:02,672
It's something
that's beyond friendship.
314
00:31:02,928 --> 00:31:05,204
- One day, he decided
to come look me up.
315
00:31:05,497 --> 00:31:07,602
His name was Oscar Cabello.
316
00:31:07,899 --> 00:31:12,348
He told me that
he could supply my needs.
317
00:31:23,248 --> 00:31:25,125
[laughter]
318
00:31:28,553 --> 00:31:30,430
- He was like a brother to me.
319
00:31:30,722 --> 00:31:32,429
You look at somebody
occasionally,
320
00:31:32,724 --> 00:31:34,067
and you just see somebody
321
00:31:34,359 --> 00:31:36,464
that you connect with
right away.
322
00:31:36,762 --> 00:31:38,469
He was not violent.
323
00:31:38,764 --> 00:31:41,142
Didn't have to worry that
he was gonna come threaten me
324
00:31:41,433 --> 00:31:42,878
or something like that.
325
00:31:43,135 --> 00:31:44,307
And that was the beginning
326
00:31:44,603 --> 00:31:49,245
of a fairly long relationship
that we shared.
327
00:32:04,890 --> 00:32:08,099
- Oscar, he usually had
some really potent marijuana.
328
00:32:08,393 --> 00:32:10,634
It was all packaged the same.
329
00:32:10,929 --> 00:32:12,806
It was all high quality.
330
00:32:13,098 --> 00:32:16,671
This stuff was major production.
331
00:32:16,968 --> 00:32:19,346
Oscar pretty much
controlled the river
332
00:32:19,638 --> 00:32:21,777
in the state of Coahuila.
333
00:32:22,073 --> 00:32:24,747
He was a big player.
334
00:32:25,010 --> 00:32:28,753
I talked to Oscar
about arranging a meeting
335
00:32:29,014 --> 00:32:31,085
with his supplier,
336
00:32:31,349 --> 00:32:35,263
and it turned out
that man was Amado Carrillo.
337
00:32:37,756 --> 00:32:40,794
I asked Oscar, I said,
"Well, who's his boss?"
338
00:32:41,092 --> 00:32:43,595
And Oscar said,
"He doesn't have a boss.
339
00:32:43,862 --> 00:32:45,705
He is the boss."
340
00:32:45,997 --> 00:32:47,772
I had a hard time
believing that, you know?
341
00:32:48,033 --> 00:32:49,808
He was a young man,
a whole lot like myself,
342
00:32:50,101 --> 00:32:52,980
kind of a rural background.
343
00:32:53,271 --> 00:32:55,649
I learned later
that he is probably
344
00:32:55,941 --> 00:32:58,444
the largest drug dealer
that ever lived.
345
00:32:58,710 --> 00:33:01,987
At one time, he controlled
the majority of all the cocaine
346
00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:04,988
coming into the United States.
347
00:33:05,283 --> 00:33:07,854
We snorted some coke together
and bullshitted,
348
00:33:08,153 --> 00:33:11,794
and then Amado and Oscar left.
349
00:33:12,057 --> 00:33:15,698
A few hours later, there was
a real loud knock on the door.
350
00:33:15,994 --> 00:33:19,407
They slammed it open, and
there was a group of commandos
351
00:33:19,698 --> 00:33:21,871
with sub-machine guns.
352
00:33:22,167 --> 00:33:26,843
Amado was probably testing us
to make sure we weren't agents.
353
00:33:27,138 --> 00:33:30,210
And then they disappeared
as fast as they had come.
354
00:33:36,414 --> 00:33:37,688
- Back in the day,
355
00:33:37,983 --> 00:33:39,758
Amado Carrillo Fuentes
was in Juarez
356
00:33:40,051 --> 00:33:41,394
right across the border.
357
00:33:41,686 --> 00:33:44,428
The Juarez Cartel
was at its heyday.
358
00:33:44,723 --> 00:33:46,703
[tense music]
359
00:33:46,992 --> 00:33:52,066
There was times that we knew
that El Señor was in Socorro.
360
00:33:52,364 --> 00:33:55,402
They would throw lavish parties
out in ranch houses
361
00:33:55,700 --> 00:33:57,236
in the outskirts of Socorro.
362
00:33:57,536 --> 00:33:59,576
And, you know, I remember
going to a couple of them,
363
00:33:59,671 --> 00:34:02,550
not knowing that we were
probably in close vicinity
364
00:34:02,841 --> 00:34:05,412
to the top levels of the cartel.
365
00:34:05,710 --> 00:34:08,350
♪♪
366
00:34:08,613 --> 00:34:10,786
- I guess what we heard
is what ended up being true,
367
00:34:11,082 --> 00:34:13,562
that this guy was going to be
the biggest drug baron.
368
00:34:13,852 --> 00:34:16,012
He went on to become one
of the biggest in the history,
369
00:34:16,187 --> 00:34:18,793
if not the biggest.
370
00:34:19,090 --> 00:34:21,036
He brought the Mexican cartels
371
00:34:21,293 --> 00:34:23,466
and the Mexican drug lords
into the forefront.
372
00:34:23,762 --> 00:34:25,901
Before they were just used
as mules
373
00:34:26,197 --> 00:34:28,157
from the cocaine that
was coming in from Colombia,
374
00:34:28,266 --> 00:34:30,303
when the Colombians were really
the strong cartels
375
00:34:30,602 --> 00:34:31,307
in the world.
376
00:34:31,603 --> 00:34:33,742
♪♪
377
00:34:34,039 --> 00:34:36,815
It's really hard to smuggle
anything from South America
378
00:34:37,108 --> 00:34:38,553
if it doesn't go through Mexico.
379
00:34:38,810 --> 00:34:40,983
He established
that no Colombian cocaine
380
00:34:41,279 --> 00:34:43,524
was gonna pass through Mexico
for a certain amount of time,
381
00:34:43,548 --> 00:34:45,323
and instead of just being mules,
382
00:34:45,617 --> 00:34:47,927
they actually
became the gatekeepers.
383
00:34:48,219 --> 00:34:51,632
They became the powerful cartel.
384
00:34:51,923 --> 00:34:53,643
There was a famous saying
that he would say,
385
00:34:53,725 --> 00:34:55,136
it was that,
"Todos estamos comiendo."
386
00:34:55,160 --> 00:34:56,662
Everybody's eating.
387
00:34:56,962 --> 00:34:58,922
There's no sense in us
warring against each other.
388
00:34:58,964 --> 00:35:00,804
We're all making money.
We're all being stable.
389
00:35:00,999 --> 00:35:03,240
So there was no need
for fighting.
390
00:35:03,501 --> 00:35:04,775
♪♪
391
00:35:05,070 --> 00:35:07,072
The community knew
who the plaza boss was.
392
00:35:07,339 --> 00:35:09,250
They knew that
their government was corrupt,
393
00:35:09,507 --> 00:35:11,453
but they were willing
to put up with that
394
00:35:11,743 --> 00:35:13,484
because everything was peaceful.
395
00:35:13,778 --> 00:35:17,123
♪♪
396
00:35:17,415 --> 00:35:19,827
I really feel that
the Mexican community,
397
00:35:20,118 --> 00:35:22,792
they long for the days when
there was one strong cartel.
398
00:35:38,637 --> 00:35:40,317
- When my parents
first arrived in El Paso,
399
00:35:40,605 --> 00:35:41,845
I can't even imagine
400
00:35:42,140 --> 00:35:44,279
just the sacrifice
that they went through.
401
00:35:44,542 --> 00:35:47,455
They had left their ranch
where they had been working
402
00:35:47,712 --> 00:35:49,692
in the family ranch in Sonora,
403
00:35:49,981 --> 00:35:51,158
and they wanted to make
a better life
404
00:35:51,182 --> 00:35:53,662
for their children.
405
00:36:02,027 --> 00:36:04,029
- My dad crossed the river.
406
00:36:04,329 --> 00:36:05,569
He folded up his pants,
407
00:36:05,864 --> 00:36:07,241
took off
his shoes and his socks,
408
00:36:07,532 --> 00:36:09,534
holding them in his hand,
and he crossed the river,
409
00:36:09,834 --> 00:36:11,874
got into the United States,
and as he's sitting down
410
00:36:12,003 --> 00:36:14,415
putting on his-
his pants and shoes
411
00:36:14,706 --> 00:36:16,686
to-to wait for somebody
to pick him up,
412
00:36:16,975 --> 00:36:19,319
you know, outcomes
a Border Patrol agent.
413
00:36:19,577 --> 00:36:21,147
In that split second,
414
00:36:21,413 --> 00:36:24,155
he made a decision that
ultimately changed our lives,
415
00:36:24,416 --> 00:36:28,421
because he said, "If I allow
this guy to arrest me,
416
00:36:28,720 --> 00:36:30,722
"I'm gonna be detained,
I'm not gonna have a job,
417
00:36:31,022 --> 00:36:32,667
my children aren't gonna
be able to immigrate."
418
00:36:32,691 --> 00:36:35,069
So he took off running.
419
00:36:37,896 --> 00:36:39,336
Male announcer:
In the twilight hours
420
00:36:39,497 --> 00:36:40,937
when most of the country
is sleeping,
421
00:36:41,166 --> 00:36:43,544
we're out there,
guarding our borders,
422
00:36:43,835 --> 00:36:45,610
protecting the homeland.
423
00:36:45,904 --> 00:36:50,080
[indistinct radio chatter]
424
00:36:50,375 --> 00:36:53,015
- 10-4, air support and
ground units are on the way.
425
00:36:55,847 --> 00:36:57,383
Announcer The Border Patrol,
426
00:36:57,682 --> 00:36:59,423
we protect America.
427
00:36:59,718 --> 00:37:02,756
Are you up to the challenge?
428
00:37:03,054 --> 00:37:05,898
[applause]
429
00:37:08,693 --> 00:37:10,104
- It took a lot for me to decide
430
00:37:10,395 --> 00:37:12,068
to really join
the Border Patrol.
431
00:37:12,363 --> 00:37:14,309
It took a lot
for me to tell my dad.
432
00:37:14,599 --> 00:37:16,772
Quite frankly, I had rehearsed
my speech over and over,
433
00:37:17,068 --> 00:37:18,708
saying this is how
I'm gonna convince him.
434
00:37:18,970 --> 00:37:21,883
You know, "Dad, you know, it's
a good opportunity for me, Dad."
435
00:37:22,140 --> 00:37:24,984
To my astonishment,
he sat back for a few seconds,
436
00:37:25,276 --> 00:37:26,353
and then he just told me,
"You know what?
437
00:37:26,377 --> 00:37:27,981
"They need people like you.
438
00:37:28,279 --> 00:37:30,024
"The people that are coming
here just to make a living,
439
00:37:30,048 --> 00:37:31,928
"just like we did,
the only thing I can tell you
440
00:37:32,217 --> 00:37:34,629
is treat them with respect,
and I know you will."
441
00:37:34,919 --> 00:37:37,126
Now, you know,
and this is his words, like,
442
00:37:37,422 --> 00:37:39,595
"Now the drug dealers
and, yeah, those guys,
443
00:37:39,891 --> 00:37:42,599
go after them 110%."
444
00:37:42,894 --> 00:37:45,602
[gentle music]
445
00:37:45,897 --> 00:37:53,748
♪♪
446
00:38:10,755 --> 00:38:13,031
What really kicked off
my undercover career
447
00:38:13,324 --> 00:38:15,930
in federal law enforcement
was picking up phones
448
00:38:16,194 --> 00:38:19,038
from loads that we had
intercepted at the border.
449
00:38:28,273 --> 00:38:30,981
Rather than just let
the phone sit there, you know,
450
00:38:31,276 --> 00:38:34,314
they would start calling
and say, "Hey, did you make it?
451
00:38:34,612 --> 00:38:35,716
And I would actually talk
452
00:38:36,014 --> 00:38:37,823
to the individual
we had just arrested,
453
00:38:38,116 --> 00:38:39,927
and I would just talk to him
to see how he would talk,
454
00:38:39,951 --> 00:38:41,529
and I would try to mimic
how he would talk.
455
00:38:41,553 --> 00:38:43,197
I would ask him like,
"Hey, you know, where you from?
456
00:38:43,221 --> 00:38:44,965
Where you going? What-—"
And this is all within,
457
00:38:44,989 --> 00:38:47,401
you know, five minutes of us
taking-taking-
458
00:38:47,692 --> 00:38:49,296
you know, taking the load down.
459
00:38:49,561 --> 00:38:51,700
The guy would call.
I'd be like, "Dónde estás?"
460
00:38:51,996 --> 00:38:53,374
And they'd be like,
"Well, where are you?"
461
00:38:53,398 --> 00:38:54,438
And I'd hit him back like,
462
00:38:54,699 --> 00:38:55,973
"Well, you know, I got nervous.
463
00:38:56,234 --> 00:38:57,914
"You know, the Border Patrol
was behind me,
464
00:38:58,169 --> 00:38:59,980
but I was able to get away.
But where are you guys at?"
465
00:39:00,004 --> 00:39:02,004
So I would show up,
and then I would start calling,
466
00:39:02,207 --> 00:39:04,488
and I'd see who was the ones
that are answering the phone,
467
00:39:04,542 --> 00:39:05,742
and we would arrest that load,
468
00:39:06,010 --> 00:39:08,047
and then we would play
with those phones.
469
00:39:16,187 --> 00:39:18,065
At that time, Border Patrol
had what they called
470
00:39:18,089 --> 00:39:19,568
the anti-smuggling unit.
471
00:39:19,858 --> 00:39:21,698
It was special agents
within the Border Patrol.
472
00:39:21,826 --> 00:39:23,737
After, like,
six or seven successful cases
473
00:39:24,028 --> 00:39:26,028
where they said, "Hey,
it was this guy that started
474
00:39:26,097 --> 00:39:27,174
getting on the phone
that led us to"-
475
00:39:27,198 --> 00:39:28,438
They were like, "You know, hey,
476
00:39:28,700 --> 00:39:31,044
you wanna come on a detail
and work with us?"
477
00:39:31,336 --> 00:39:32,980
And I was like, "Of course."
I was still a trainee,
478
00:39:33,004 --> 00:39:35,109
and that was unheard of
at that time.
479
00:39:35,406 --> 00:39:38,046
From that point on, that's
basically what my career was,
480
00:39:38,343 --> 00:39:41,187
just working undercover.
481
00:39:54,525 --> 00:39:57,802
[whistle blowing,
soldiers chanting]
482
00:40:17,815 --> 00:40:20,227
- [speaking Spanish]
483
00:40:23,488 --> 00:40:27,664
[speaking Spanish]
484
00:40:56,487 --> 00:40:58,433
[gunfire]
485
00:40:58,690 --> 00:41:01,034
- [speaking Spanish] [gunfire]
486
00:41:07,532 --> 00:41:09,512
- [speaking Spanish] [gunfire]
487
00:41:23,781 --> 00:41:25,556
-[speaking Spanish]
488
00:41:37,628 --> 00:41:42,134
-[speaking Spanish]
489
00:41:42,400 --> 00:41:45,540
- It's very common in Mexico
for elected officials
490
00:41:45,837 --> 00:41:48,477
to make a major part
of their platform
491
00:41:48,740 --> 00:41:51,744
overhauling their police force,
and with good reason,
492
00:41:52,043 --> 00:41:56,549
because the police forces
that they inherit are corrupt.
493
00:41:56,848 --> 00:42:00,694
The missing piece is that
you can train police force
494
00:42:00,985 --> 00:42:03,158
and give them all
the resources that they need
495
00:42:03,421 --> 00:42:05,094
and look for the best people,
496
00:42:05,390 --> 00:42:06,870
but if you don't
hold them accountable
497
00:42:07,158 --> 00:42:09,900
when they commit crimes
or they're corrupt
498
00:42:10,194 --> 00:42:13,004
or they commit abuses,
499
00:42:13,264 --> 00:42:16,211
you're never gonna build
a trustworthy police force.
500
00:42:16,501 --> 00:42:19,675
There are many cases where
we have been able to document
501
00:42:19,937 --> 00:42:22,611
very strong evidence that
shows that these disappearances
502
00:42:22,907 --> 00:42:27,549
were carried out by security
forces, by soldiers and police.
503
00:42:27,845 --> 00:42:31,383
Even in those cases,
they don't do anything.
504
00:42:31,682 --> 00:42:33,787
The most that will happen to you
505
00:42:34,085 --> 00:42:36,463
is that you might lose your job,
you know?
506
00:42:36,754 --> 00:42:38,563
If you disappear someone
or you kill someone,
507
00:42:38,856 --> 00:42:41,029
you're not gonna be prosecuted.
508
00:43:50,995 --> 00:43:53,271
[elevator bell dings]
509
00:44:54,592 --> 00:44:57,539
[all chanting in Spanish]
510
00:45:21,786 --> 00:45:25,393
[chanting continues]
511
00:49:33,471 --> 00:49:37,009
- The drug business can't be
looked at through a microscope.
512
00:49:37,308 --> 00:49:41,620
You need to look at it as
a picture of a larger puzzle.
513
00:49:41,879 --> 00:49:45,156
The real underlying cause
is poverty.
514
00:49:45,449 --> 00:49:49,955
Fact is, you can't make money
subsistence farming in Mexico.
515
00:49:50,221 --> 00:49:52,292
They're born
into a certain station in life,
516
00:49:52,556 --> 00:49:54,160
and they can't get out of it.
517
00:49:54,458 --> 00:49:56,404
And if they're born poor,
they're gonna die poor.
518
00:49:56,694 --> 00:49:59,538
That's just the way it is.
519
00:50:08,305 --> 00:50:11,081
Oscar Cabello
was the guy in charge,
520
00:50:11,375 --> 00:50:16,757
but in all honesty,
everybody was involved.
521
00:50:17,047 --> 00:50:19,891
The whole town
derived an income from him
522
00:50:20,184 --> 00:50:21,322
and from the business.
523
00:50:21,585 --> 00:50:24,429
They helped him.
524
00:50:27,224 --> 00:50:33,004
- There was a sense of pride
that I heard, you know.
525
00:50:33,264 --> 00:50:35,505
"Your father was this,"
"Your father was that."
526
00:50:35,766 --> 00:50:39,839
And naturally, I wanted
to follow in his footsteps.
527
00:50:41,105 --> 00:50:44,746
I started at the age of 15.
528
00:50:45,042 --> 00:50:48,080
You know of the dangers,
the risks,
529
00:50:48,379 --> 00:50:49,619
but it's not something
530
00:50:49,914 --> 00:50:54,192
that you're constantly
thinking about.
531
00:50:54,451 --> 00:50:57,261
- There wasn't such a thing
as quitting from my station.
532
00:50:57,555 --> 00:51:00,536
It was very, very difficult
to get out of it.
533
00:51:00,791 --> 00:51:02,031
Dead or prison.
534
00:51:02,293 --> 00:51:05,137
That was
the only two exits for me.
535
00:51:05,429 --> 00:51:07,466
- The airplane
has become the major vehicle
536
00:51:07,765 --> 00:51:11,736
used by smugglers to bring
contraband into the U.S.
537
00:51:12,036 --> 00:51:17,076
- Oscar fronted me
about 200 pounds of marijuana.
538
00:51:17,374 --> 00:51:18,876
We loaded the plane,
539
00:51:19,143 --> 00:51:23,057
and we took off
for the United States.
540
00:51:23,314 --> 00:51:25,487
As we broke out
of the cloud cover,
541
00:51:25,783 --> 00:51:28,593
we encountered a plane
coming directly towards us,
542
00:51:28,886 --> 00:51:31,423
almost like driving
by the freeway.
543
00:51:31,722 --> 00:51:35,169
They would pull up and fly up,
544
00:51:35,459 --> 00:51:37,234
right up in front of our prop.
545
00:51:37,494 --> 00:51:38,802
- The Customs Bureau
546
00:51:39,096 --> 00:51:40,734
has set up
an aerial interdiction program
547
00:51:40,998 --> 00:51:43,740
using military type aircraft,
searching the sky
548
00:51:44,001 --> 00:51:46,777
for any aircraft
not on a regular flight plan.
549
00:51:47,071 --> 00:51:50,245
- The prop wash would propel us
up into the air,
550
00:51:50,507 --> 00:51:55,923
and then when you hit that
down-burst, the plane would fall.
551
00:51:56,180 --> 00:51:57,853
It would fall a lot.
552
00:51:58,148 --> 00:52:01,254
And it was extremely scary.
553
00:52:01,518 --> 00:52:04,522
These guys began to motion
for us to go down
554
00:52:04,822 --> 00:52:08,634
or for us to pick up the radio.
555
00:52:08,926 --> 00:52:11,372
As we stopped, people with arms
556
00:52:11,662 --> 00:52:13,005
appeared from
all over the place.
557
00:52:13,297 --> 00:52:14,935
Even the security guard
at the airport
558
00:52:15,199 --> 00:52:17,145
came outwith his shotgun.
559
00:52:17,434 --> 00:52:19,175
And I still had
a seat-belt on,
560
00:52:19,470 --> 00:52:21,643
and there was a guy
with a 12-gauge shotgun
561
00:52:21,939 --> 00:52:23,384
pointed at my face.
562
00:52:23,674 --> 00:52:26,314
And he could not see
what I was doing with my hands.
563
00:52:26,610 --> 00:52:28,954
Every time that I would
go to lower my hands
564
00:52:29,213 --> 00:52:30,658
to undo the seat-belt,
565
00:52:30,948 --> 00:52:34,327
I'd see this guy tightening up
on that trigger.
566
00:52:34,618 --> 00:52:37,224
Finally I yelled loud enough
to these guys.
567
00:52:37,521 --> 00:52:39,228
And as I came across
the pilot's seat,
568
00:52:39,523 --> 00:52:41,503
they grabbed me,
and my first step back
569
00:52:41,792 --> 00:52:46,468
onto American soil was
face first into the tarmac of-
570
00:52:46,730 --> 00:52:48,038
of an airport.
571
00:52:53,237 --> 00:52:57,049
I barely got in before the
minimum mandatory sentencing
572
00:52:57,341 --> 00:53:00,254
were issued to the judges that
took away their discretion.
573
00:53:00,544 --> 00:53:02,387
It was after
I got into the jail,
574
00:53:02,680 --> 00:53:04,353
and they began
to describe this stuff
575
00:53:04,648 --> 00:53:07,356
that I realized
how fortunate I was,
576
00:53:07,651 --> 00:53:08,823
because some of the people
577
00:53:09,086 --> 00:53:11,760
that were busted right after me,
578
00:53:12,056 --> 00:53:14,536
they would have been facing
a 20-year sentence
579
00:53:14,825 --> 00:53:19,831
without any possibility of
them-you know, mitigation.
580
00:53:22,199 --> 00:53:24,873
I was lucky to have been caught
when I was caught.
581
00:53:25,169 --> 00:53:26,614
I ended up getting paroled
582
00:53:26,904 --> 00:53:29,748
for having completed five years.
583
00:53:39,783 --> 00:53:41,729
, Okay-
584
00:53:50,794 --> 00:53:52,740
Okay.
585
00:53:55,232 --> 00:53:57,210
A lot of the undercover work
that we did along here
586
00:53:57,234 --> 00:53:58,577
was transportation.
587
00:53:58,869 --> 00:54:00,940
I had a commercial
driver's license.
588
00:54:01,238 --> 00:54:03,479
I was able to infiltrate
a lot of organizations
589
00:54:03,774 --> 00:54:06,880
that used tractor trailers
to transport the narcotics
590
00:54:07,144 --> 00:54:10,057
from the supplier in Mexico.
591
00:54:10,314 --> 00:54:11,759
[radio chirps]
592
00:54:16,920 --> 00:54:18,126
[radio chirps]
593
00:54:24,762 --> 00:54:26,362
It's not like
when you see in the movies,
594
00:54:26,630 --> 00:54:28,735
you know, that they find out
you're a federal agent
595
00:54:28,999 --> 00:54:30,842
and they're going to kill you.
596
00:54:31,135 --> 00:54:33,308
The danger is where you've sold
597
00:54:33,604 --> 00:54:35,345
that role that you're
trying to play,
598
00:54:35,639 --> 00:54:37,243
that you've sold it so good
599
00:54:37,508 --> 00:54:41,752
that this guy has no
inclination that you're a cop.
600
00:54:42,012 --> 00:54:44,253
And it could be that they try
to rip you off.
601
00:54:48,452 --> 00:54:49,931
- The individuals
that are picking up
602
00:54:50,187 --> 00:54:51,907
want to keep both the money
and the product,
603
00:54:51,989 --> 00:54:53,593
and they'll just kill you.
604
00:54:53,857 --> 00:54:55,168
They're going to wait
until you're not looking
605
00:54:55,192 --> 00:54:57,194
and then shoot you in the head.
606
00:55:18,849 --> 00:55:21,352
- Do you work tomorrow?
- Yes.
607
00:55:21,652 --> 00:55:23,962
- It never really
crossed my mind,
608
00:55:24,221 --> 00:55:26,292
me thinking I'm living
a dangerous lifestyle
609
00:55:26,557 --> 00:55:28,127
or if anything could happen.
610
00:55:28,392 --> 00:55:30,201
I thought it would never
come to our family.
611
00:55:30,494 --> 00:55:32,064
I thought we were
always protected.
612
00:55:32,362 --> 00:55:35,002
Me not realizing how dangerous
his job really is,
613
00:55:35,299 --> 00:55:36,972
I guess I just
put a blind side to it.
614
00:55:37,234 --> 00:55:39,544
I didn't want to know
what would go on.
615
00:55:43,473 --> 00:55:46,352
When I was pregnant,
there was a list that came out.
616
00:55:46,643 --> 00:55:48,179
There was just
a bunch of threats,
617
00:55:48,478 --> 00:55:49,752
and Oscar was mentioned in it.
618
00:55:50,047 --> 00:55:51,492
You don't wanna
eat your chicken?
619
00:55:51,748 --> 00:55:55,423
The government sent some
security armor system
620
00:55:55,719 --> 00:55:58,427
for our house,
and they actually issued
621
00:55:58,722 --> 00:56:01,703
Oscar a couple more guns
and an automatic weapon
622
00:56:01,992 --> 00:56:03,869
for the family
to keep in the house.
623
00:56:04,161 --> 00:56:06,869
He's actually taught me
how to shoot the gun,
624
00:56:07,164 --> 00:56:08,837
how to shoot in the dark,
625
00:56:09,099 --> 00:56:11,602
so I can help to protect
the family.
626
00:56:11,902 --> 00:56:13,182
- Okay, well,
then take this one.
627
00:56:13,237 --> 00:56:15,683
- Here, let me have it.
- Trade.
628
00:56:26,550 --> 00:56:28,359
- Where did you do
most of your time?
629
00:56:28,619 --> 00:56:29,619
- In Three Rivers.
630
00:56:29,786 --> 00:56:33,097
- Three Rivers.
631
00:56:33,390 --> 00:56:35,097
That's a medium also, isn't it?
632
00:56:35,392 --> 00:56:36,735
- That's a medium.
- Yeah.
633
00:56:37,027 --> 00:56:40,201
- I reached out to Don
when I was incarcerated.
634
00:56:40,464 --> 00:56:42,466
It was a sense of joy
hearing of Don.
635
00:56:42,766 --> 00:56:45,246
That he was doing well.
He was out.
636
00:56:45,535 --> 00:56:48,448
At the time of sentencing,
you get sentenced to months.
637
00:56:48,739 --> 00:56:53,119
Sol hear 150 months,
and it didn't seem like much.
638
00:56:53,410 --> 00:56:54,718
But I go back to my cell
639
00:56:54,978 --> 00:56:57,288
and I start breaking it down
into years.
640
00:56:57,581 --> 00:56:59,583
It's 14 1/2 years.
641
00:56:59,883 --> 00:57:02,261
Because of marijuana
being illegal,
642
00:57:02,552 --> 00:57:04,964
I lost all my 20s.
643
00:57:05,255 --> 00:57:08,725
- All that stuff
is so old and gone,
644
00:57:08,992 --> 00:57:11,472
but the way these idiots
are down there now,
645
00:57:11,762 --> 00:57:15,005
it's almost as though
you fear retribution
646
00:57:15,299 --> 00:57:16,903
just so they can say, you know,
647
00:57:17,167 --> 00:57:22,310
"I - I killed so-and-so and
that makes me achingon."
648
00:57:22,606 --> 00:57:26,611
What Auden got is just
absolutely unreasonable.
649
00:57:26,910 --> 00:57:29,288
14 years for marijuana.
650
00:57:29,579 --> 00:57:32,822
That's just absolutely insane.
651
00:57:33,116 --> 00:57:35,357
Our law is unjust.
652
00:57:35,652 --> 00:57:40,192
It's not effective.
653
00:57:40,490 --> 00:57:42,367
Yes, it is a path I took.
654
00:57:42,659 --> 00:57:46,038
Yes, it did result
in me going to prison.
655
00:57:46,330 --> 00:57:50,801
I think my children paid a
heavy price for my actions.
656
00:57:52,602 --> 00:57:55,378
I was young.
I had a lot of kids.
657
00:57:55,672 --> 00:57:58,278
I started having kids
very early.
658
00:57:58,542 --> 00:58:01,614
I thought, "I'm providing
money and a place for them,"
659
00:58:01,878 --> 00:58:05,951
but there was always
some selfishness involved.
660
00:58:06,216 --> 00:58:11,894
I bear some shame for that, but
I can't change any of it now.
661
00:58:28,972 --> 00:58:30,645
- The biggest thing
was to see him
662
00:58:30,907 --> 00:58:34,047
brought in by guards,
handcuffed.
663
00:58:34,344 --> 00:58:37,416
He had raised his hand to
ask to go to the restroom.
664
00:58:37,714 --> 00:58:39,819
Just the process of going
through door after door
665
00:58:40,083 --> 00:58:42,586
of locked door behind you
to go see your father,
666
00:58:42,886 --> 00:58:46,891
that was really
strange for me as a child.
667
00:58:47,190 --> 00:58:48,760
We always kind of
would try to hide it,
668
00:58:49,059 --> 00:58:50,436
that my father
was a drug dealer,
669
00:58:50,727 --> 00:58:52,001
but it would get out.
670
00:58:52,262 --> 00:58:54,105
Principals find out,
teachers find out.
671
00:58:54,398 --> 00:58:56,275
It makes its way through school.
672
00:58:56,566 --> 00:58:59,274
Some people were
almost intrigued by it
673
00:58:59,569 --> 00:59:01,105
to the point
that they idolized that,
674
00:59:01,405 --> 00:59:04,249
and then some people
really looked down at you.
675
00:59:15,085 --> 00:59:16,462
- I'm gonna live with my share
676
00:59:16,753 --> 00:59:18,892
for having committed a crime,
677
00:59:19,189 --> 00:59:21,635
but it grows from the bottom up.
678
00:59:21,925 --> 00:59:23,131
There's always somebody else
679
00:59:23,427 --> 00:59:25,873
just ready to take
the place in line.
680
00:59:26,129 --> 00:59:29,269
I don't think they stop
one damn joint, to be honest.
681
00:59:29,566 --> 00:59:31,204
I mean they catch some of it,
682
00:59:31,468 --> 00:59:35,439
but there's always surplus
created to deal with that.
683
00:59:42,112 --> 00:59:44,092
- We're still seeing
the traditional drugs
684
00:59:44,381 --> 00:59:47,157
that we always saw:
cocaine, marijuana.
685
00:59:47,451 --> 00:59:50,125
What's troubling to us
as U.S. law enforcement
686
00:59:50,420 --> 00:59:53,128
is the fact that we're seeing
more and more meth.
687
00:59:53,423 --> 00:59:56,666
Marijuana still continues to be
a heavy profit earner
688
00:59:56,960 --> 01:00:00,669
for the Mexican cartels,
but the laws are shifting
689
01:00:00,964 --> 01:00:04,502
to where more and more places
are legalizing it.
690
01:00:04,801 --> 01:00:06,940
They're businessmen,
they're gonna adapt.
691
01:00:07,237 --> 01:00:09,615
If they're not getting a profit
from smuggling marijuana,
692
01:00:09,906 --> 01:00:10,917
then they're gonna
move into something else
693
01:00:10,941 --> 01:00:12,113
that is profitable.
694
01:00:12,409 --> 01:00:14,514
Meth is more addictive
than any drug
695
01:00:14,811 --> 01:00:16,313
and it's more destructive.
696
01:00:16,613 --> 01:00:20,117
So they're trying
to push more and more meth.
697
01:00:24,921 --> 01:00:26,628
There's been
some historical marks
698
01:00:26,923 --> 01:00:28,630
where the drug game changes.
699
01:00:28,925 --> 01:00:32,099
One of them was the death of
Amado Carrillo Fuentes.
700
01:00:32,362 --> 01:00:34,842
He died during a botched
plastic surgery attempt
701
01:00:35,132 --> 01:00:37,339
in 1997.
702
01:00:37,634 --> 01:00:41,446
After his death, there wasn't
one true cartel leader.
703
01:00:41,705 --> 01:00:43,145
That's when people started
scrambling
704
01:00:43,373 --> 01:00:45,284
to take territories,
take plazas.
705
01:00:45,542 --> 01:00:47,142
That's when you saw
the violence spike up
706
01:00:47,210 --> 01:00:50,054
both in the United States
and Mexico.
707
01:00:56,353 --> 01:00:57,873
The reason that I do
a lot of media now
708
01:00:58,155 --> 01:01:01,136
is that I'm not going to
remember everybody
709
01:01:01,391 --> 01:01:04,031
that I encountered
doing undercover work,
710
01:01:04,327 --> 01:01:06,204
and to me,
putting my face out there,
711
01:01:06,496 --> 01:01:08,874
it's, in my way,
it's my sense of protection.
712
01:01:09,166 --> 01:01:11,669
The more people to know
that I was a federal agent,
713
01:01:11,968 --> 01:01:13,743
so that they know that if
they go after me
714
01:01:14,037 --> 01:01:15,914
they're going after
somebody that has backing,
715
01:01:16,206 --> 01:01:17,549
that has some sort
of protection.
716
01:01:37,394 --> 01:01:40,204
[Taps plays]
717
01:01:40,497 --> 01:01:48,348
♪♪
718
01:01:51,841 --> 01:01:54,344
A lot of people ask me,
"You've had a good career.
719
01:01:54,611 --> 01:01:57,182
"You've made a positive name
for yourself.
720
01:01:57,447 --> 01:01:59,859
You'll be able to help your son
follow in your footsteps."
721
01:02:00,116 --> 01:02:03,222
And, you know, I really hope
that he doesn't.
722
01:02:03,520 --> 01:02:05,625
When you're working
against the cartels,
723
01:02:05,922 --> 01:02:08,402
you see the worst of the worst.
You see the worst in people.
724
01:02:08,692 --> 01:02:11,901
I saw stuff that I wouldn't
wish my worst enemy to see.
725
01:02:12,195 --> 01:02:15,142
I wouldn't want my son
to be exposed to that.
726
01:02:44,094 --> 01:02:47,007
[playing drums]
727
01:04:51,955 --> 01:04:53,559
- Consuelo!
728
01:07:35,718 --> 01:07:37,391
- I used to kid myself
thinking that-
729
01:07:37,687 --> 01:07:39,207
that I could be more and
more effective
730
01:07:39,422 --> 01:07:42,596
in going after drug traffickers.
731
01:07:42,892 --> 01:07:44,572
But the more and more
that I look at it is,
732
01:07:44,861 --> 01:07:47,102
we're all a pawn in a game.
733
01:07:51,968 --> 01:07:55,575
We as Americans, you know,
tend to look at Mexico as,
734
01:07:55,872 --> 01:07:58,716
"Oh, you know, those guys are
flooding our streets with drugs
735
01:07:58,975 --> 01:08:03,082
and they're flooding our
economy with illicit money."
736
01:08:03,379 --> 01:08:05,357
But, you know, you really
wouldn't have that problem
737
01:08:05,381 --> 01:08:07,156
if there wasn't demand.
738
01:08:07,450 --> 01:08:09,250
We're the country with the
highest consumption
739
01:08:09,285 --> 01:08:10,992
of illegal
narcotics in the world.
740
01:08:11,287 --> 01:08:15,429
And so we have a lot
to do with that, too.
741
01:08:21,397 --> 01:08:24,571
- We're all trapped in these
things to a certain extent.
742
01:08:24,834 --> 01:08:27,178
And that's what
the real catalyst was
743
01:08:27,470 --> 01:08:29,507
that drove me into the business.
744
01:08:34,611 --> 01:08:38,115
The fact that it was illegal
made it profitable,
745
01:08:38,414 --> 01:08:40,690
and that's what fueled
the whole business
746
01:08:40,984 --> 01:08:43,965
and that's what fuels it now.
747
01:08:44,253 --> 01:08:46,358
I just don't want
to be involved any more.
748
01:08:46,656 --> 01:08:49,466
I don't want to grow it,
don't want to be around it.
749
01:08:49,759 --> 01:08:52,706
I don't want any part of it.
750
01:08:52,996 --> 01:08:55,442
It's an excuse now
to prosecute people
751
01:08:55,698 --> 01:08:58,338
that are undesirable
for other reasons.
752
01:08:58,635 --> 01:09:03,209
It's a convenient tool to put
anybody they want behind bars.
753
01:09:41,477 --> 01:09:44,253
[gentle music]
754
01:09:44,547 --> 01:09:52,398
♪♪
755
01:11:55,511 --> 01:11:58,321
[Latin music]
756
01:11:58,614 --> 01:12:06,465
♪♪
757
01:12:17,834 --> 01:12:20,644
-[singing in Spanish]
758
01:12:20,903 --> 01:12:25,750
♪♪