Laser-Focused Insights

Former Shot Caller for the Sinaloa Cartel Reveals America’s New Strategies Against Cartels with Margarito "Jay" Flores, Jr

Written by Michael Brown | May 14, 2025 5:10:16 PM

Sealing borders won't resolve the fentanyl crisis unless we rethink how domestic trafficking can be disrupted.

In this episode, we welcome back Margarito "Jay" Flores, Jr. —a former Sinaloa cartel kingpin turned law enforcement educator—to dive deeper into the operations behind the illicit fentanyl trade that's taken thousands of U.S. lives each year. With cartels now designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, the U.S. is taking a harder stance, but Jay and Michael explore if policy is enough if we don't also confront the networks operating in our own neighborhoods. 

We also discuss: 

  • Why labeling cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations could shift the legal landscape of drug enforcement in America.
  • How fentanyl reaches U.S. communities, and why most traffickers don't look like the stereotype.
  • The importance of treating domestic distribution networks with the same urgency as international ones. 
  • Why prevention, education, and empathy must be part of any long-term solution to the opioid crisis.

 

 

Listen and subscribe on your favorite podcast player:

Spotify

Apple Podcasts

 

Views expressed in this material are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Rigaku Analytical Devices.

To make sure you never miss an episode of The Opioid Matrix, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the website, or your favorite podcast player here: https://plinkhq.com/i/1625927161?to=page