Sep 21, 2026 · 2h 4m
Cartels turn regional power into an international drone pipeline
#341 Katarina Szulc - Cartels Are Recruiting Drone Operators From the Ukraine War
The conversation connects Mexico’s cartel infrastructure to political corruption, diversified criminal economies, and emerging military expertise from the Ukraine war.
- 1Mexico’s cartels operate through regional cells and political networks that make their infrastructure difficult to dismantle.
- 2Cartel revenue extends beyond drugs into oil, agriculture, utilities, trafficking, and other industries tied to U.S. demand.
- 3Latin American fighters recruited from Ukraine may be transferring FPV drone expertise into Mexico’s criminal ecosystem.
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Katarina Szulc details her investigation into Latin American fighters recruited from Ukraine to train Mexican cartels in FPV drone operations.
The brief
Investigative journalist Katarina Szulc examines Mexico’s cartel landscape, where regional cells, political corruption, and layered command structures let criminal organizations expand while resisting centralized disruption.
The discussion argues that cartel power is not limited to narcotics: stolen oil, avocados, water, internet service, and human trafficking create diversified revenue streams linked to legitimate economies.
Szulc describes her investigation into Latin American fighters recruited from Ukraine to train or operate FPV drones for Mexican cartels, while stressing that the pipeline’s scale remains difficult to verify.
The episode closes on a widening international problem, from fentanyl precursor routes and enforcement gaps to possible foreign intervention and the human-rights costs of a sweeping crackdown.
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United States
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