Currently, Tren De Aragua has been identified as operating within 22 states in America.

President Trump and the U.S. government have classified Tren de Aragua, MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha), and cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations which now changes the strategies to disrupt, dismantle, and deplete these enemy organizations.

DEA Agent Wes Tabor has served an entire career working large scale cases against cartels and transnational gangs. His work in Guatemala led to the creation of a gang intelligence system used to track MS-13 members. He has hit the Chicago stash houses of "Choppo" Guzman, worked cases involving the direct connections between a Columbian cartel and Hezbollah, and spent years in Venezuela. His investigations while stationed in Caracas exposed narco-states in Venezuela with the Cartel De Los Soles and Tren De Aragua.

His recent book, INFILTRATE AMERICA, uncovers the rise of Tren De Aragua and other transnational gangs, their connections to terrorist organizations, and their ability to operate in America.

Guest: Billy Batts & The Made Men NEW ALBUM: "For The Surly Types"You've heard me mention them on other episodes. You've seen me post about them on Instagram. They have shared the stage with Dead Kennedys, Teenage Bottlerocket, Sheer Terror, D.R.I., FEAR, and many others.Now, hear the next generation of punk!

For anyone who loves music and more importantly loves new bands that can play like the bands you grew up listening to and sing about the movies you grew up watching....I give you: BILLY BATTS & THE MADE MEN!!!!

Albums: My Empire Is Crumbling

For The Surly Types

Terrorism expert/author Fred Burton (Beirut Rules, Chasing Shadows, Under Fire:Benghazi and more) told me I need to have FBI Special Agent F.X. Regan on the podcast. When Fred throws out a referral, I listen.

Fred and F.X.Regan crossed paths under many years of working counterterrorism. Regan shares details about his background working as a field agent with the FBI, his days with FBI SWAT in Detroit, his assignment with Counterrorism unit, the arrest of Ramzi Yousef, and more.

Regan is currently cranking out novels tackling the criminal underworld of the Washington DC area.

FXREGAN.com

The U. S. State Department has now classified "Los Zetas" a foreign terrorist organization and one of the most violent and prolific leaders known as "Z-40" has been extradited to the U.S. to face a litany of charges. We dive into the history of "Los Zetas," a Mexican cartel formed by Special Forces soldiers who learned the trafficking business while serving as security for the Gulf Cartel. Los Zetas quickly spread across regions in Mexico implementing their terror campaign of violence.

The DEA sent Leo Silva to Mexico with a primary mission: dismantle Los Zetas....

Most FBI agents don't live a life undercover with criminal motorcycle clubs or extremist groups or ever play the part of a hitman or commit to roles involving public corruption, or be an active member of a regional SWAT team, but FBI Agent Scott Payne has done ALL of the above as well as assignments that are still classified. The guy is a natural story teller! We also talk about his new book, CODENAME: PALE HORSE, his willingness to teach his techniques, his love of SWAT and ensuring the next generation of hard chargers get the best training possible. Instagram: scottpaynebigcountry

Most FBI agents don't live a life undercover with criminal motorcycle clubs or extremist groups or ever play the part of a hitman or commit to roles involving public corruption, or be an active member of a regional SWAT team, but FBI Agent Scott Payne has done ALL of the above as well as assignments that are still classified.

The guy is a natural story teller!

We also talk about his new book, CODENAME: PALE HORSE, his willingness to teach his techniques, his love of SWAT and ensuring the next generation of hard chargers get the best training possible.

Instagram: scottpaynebigcountry

From battling meth, heroin and alcoholism to training Arizona police officers on cycles of dependency, self destruction, and addiction, Shane Watson talks about his head first dive into every drug imaginable only to wake up in one of America's most known jails. Shane shares how he went through withdrawals from behind cell walls yet somehow not only survived but thrived! It was a long road of recovery. Along the way, Shane accrued over 3,000 albums, so we had to talk about music as well.

Enjoy!

Reach out to Shane via Silverladder.com

Instagram @silverladder

Youtube channel silverladderdotcom

Imagine being a 19 year old soldier and you get selected to guard Saddam Hussein during his final months of life.

The Army may have plucked this play right out of the Silence of the Lambs movie script: Was "Tucker" their Agent Starling?

8 hours a day sitting with, at the time, public enemy number one, a man who committed unspeakable acts, atrocities, and directed many others to do the same, sits in front of a 19 year old American soldier day in and day out for months. Eventually, the two talk.

For "Tucker" (Not even close to his real name) it was his reality. I knew this guy for a few years before I ever knew the stories he tells me on this episode.

Some may get mad hearing these stories, but remember, human beings build bonds when they are in close quarters. Jokes are shared. Stories of home life are told. Grandfatherly advice is given. Great manipulators groom the eager ear. Dictators contort stories into falsehoods. A caged man can seem less and less of a threat the more words he speaks.

"Tucker" opens up about all of it. Many of you will be surprised to learn what the trial and final moments of Saddam's life were like through the eyes of his favorite American guard.