Jonathan Alpeyrie is a war photographer and journalist who has spent time documenting the darkest corners of the global drug trade — from cartel territory in Mexico and the favelas of Brazil to the streets of Kensington, Skid Row, Baltimore, and the mega-prisons of El Salvador.
Jonathan breaks down what he’s seen firsthand while embedding with drug gangs, addicts, undercover police units, and special forces around the world. He explains how European drug gangs are becoming more powerful, why France, Belgium, and Holland are turning into major narco hubs, and how Mexican cartels are exporting their violence and tactics into Europe.
Jonathan also discusses the rise of fentanyl in America, the origins of the synthetic opioid pipeline, the brutal reality of addiction on the streets, and what he witnessed inside El Salvador’s crackdown on MS-13. From undercover drug buys in Europe to firefights in Rio’s favelas, this is a raw look at the worldwide drug crisis from someone who has seen it up close.
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Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Drug-Wars/Jonathan-Alpeyrie/9780972115247
Website: https://jonathanalpeyrie.com/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/jonalpeyrie/
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00:00 European Drug Gangs & Cartel Tactics
02:00 War Reporter’s Background
03:55 Challenges of Access and Documentary Work
08:00 Undercover Ops with Cops & European Narcos
12:40 Weak Punishments & Overloaded European Prisons
15:50 Belgium, Holland & France: Europe's Crime Hotbeds
21:00 Ethnic Gangs and Emerging Alliances
27:00 Why Europe Is the “Crown Jewel” of the Drug Trade
35:00 Big Busts, Corruption & Mexican Cartel Influence
41:00 Fentanyl and Drug Crisis in the US
49:30 Drug Trends: Fentanyl, Meth, and Ketamine Scenes
54:00 MDMA, Ecstasy, and Party Drug Production
59:50 Inside Brazilian Favelas and Combat Zones
01:03:00 Violence, Danger & Drug Wars in Latin America
01:10:00 War Reporting: Syria, Iraq, and Hostage Experiences
01:20:00 Geopolitics, Proxy Wars & Global Destabilization
01:27:30 America’s Shifting Role & Future of Cartels
01:34:00 Personal Trauma, Resilience & Drug War Morality
01:41:00 Solutions, Nationalism, and The Limits of Idealism
01:45:00 Jonathan’s Mission & Final Thoughts
01:49:00 Book Plug & Closing Remarks
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