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[Music]

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you're listening to the Insurance Show

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with Jim Breslow find us at hidden

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truths show.com follow us on Facebook

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Twitter and Instagram that hidden truths

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show watch our YouTube channel he didn't

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read show please subscribe rate and

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review us under podcast app here's Jim

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Fresno welcome back to the hidden truth

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show today we continue our legalize it

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deep dive about the legalization of

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recreational drugs in the u.s. John

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Norris is the author of hidden war how

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special operations game wardens are

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reclaiming America's wild lands from the

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drug cartels Norris was a California

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game warden for many years his job was

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to protect hunting fishing and hiking on

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state lands that all changed when one

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day he stumbled upon a big marijuana

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farm on state land incredibly it was

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being guarded by Mexican drug cartels

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his job ultimately morphed into fighting

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these cartels over their multi-million

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dollar illegal drug farms in California

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in the interview he reports that there

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are approximately 10,000 Mexican drug

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cartel members living in California they

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oversee huge marijuana fields on state

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and federal lands he reports that they

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grow as much marijuana in California as

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do all of the legal growers combined

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they cross illegally into California in

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order to illegally grow and sell drugs

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yet California's sanctuary state laws

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protect them from deportation

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unbelievable before we start the

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interview a reminder to please join our

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search for the truth by becoming a

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hidden truth show subscriber for just $5

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a month you'll receive newsletters

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special episodes a hidden truth baseball

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thoughts and questions go to

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patreon.com/scishow that's patreon.com

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forward slash hidden truth show

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okay now for our interview with John

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Norris author of hidden war I started by

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asking him exactly how long the cartels

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have been growing marijuana in

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California yeah we know approximately it

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started back in the mid 80s that's when

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the first cartel groups from Mexico

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basically breached the border out of San

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Diego and started putting these you know

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illegal trespass marijuana grows and

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these encampments in the national

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forests especially right down into like

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San Diego Riverside County where I

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started my career back in 1992 as a

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fishing game were and I was right in the

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Temecula Riverside County area and I

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actually gone into a handful of growth

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sites with Forest Service officers law

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enforcement officers way back then and

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they were embedded pretty heavy in

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mostly in Southern California and then

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since then they've migrated north to the

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entire rest of California the whole West

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Coast all the way up the Canadian border

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and in about 25 other states nationally

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so I I assume their analysis was very

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simple they're going through all this

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hassle to figure out how to bring

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marijuana across the border into the

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United States which they were quite

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successful at but it's also very

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dangerous and expensive and they're like

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wait a minute why don't we just grow it

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in California and we don't have to worry

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about getting it across the border

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exactly they eliminated a step they

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eliminated basically a roadblock along

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the way now they still do produce in

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Mexico in central Mexico and we got to

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remember Jim that this is the tainted

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cannabis it has the EPA banned poisons

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on it directly not only on the waterways

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and the soil around where it's grown but

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actually on the plant and the bug

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material people ingest itself so the

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method they've used in Mexico for many

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many decades they just brought up to

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brought up to America through California

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first to do as well so grown within our

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country to take out that hindrance of

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like you said get across the border and

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then in addition to that still grown in

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Mexico and still smuggled across the

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border it's also brought in on the water

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which I talked about a little bit in the

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new book hidden war and we got into it a

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little bit on some other shows is the

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panga boats the one way you know

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clandestine cartel panga boats that are

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made to bring a big load of three to six

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thousand pounds of this toxic we tainted

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weed onto the coastline

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or methamphetamine or fentanyl or even

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traffic people and then it's a

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disposable boat and that load gets into

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the American black-market to be

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distributed all over the country on the

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west coast usually of California and

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north of there so let's talk some

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numbers and let's start with percentages

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so what percentage of cartel marijuana

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would you say comes across the border as

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opposed to being grown in the US as far

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as what how much makes it to America in

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the total market no what I'm saying is

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well maybe that's the question but but

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really when we look about cartel

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marijuana sales in the US that marijuana

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what percentage that marijuana was grown

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in the u.s. versus somehow came in into

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the u.s. from from Mexico yeah the stuff

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grown in America that's on the

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clandestine black market for the whole

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country somewhere between 16 80 % a

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large number of it okay so basically

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that's their primary way of selling

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marijuana into the u.s. is just growing

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it in the u.s. most of it is but I've

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been doing a lot of work on the border

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filming shows down there talking with

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Border Patrol agents and dealing with

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the trafficking and the cartel routes in

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Southwest Texas on the Arizona border

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and I've just learned recently that the

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numbers we thought were kind of low as

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far as stuff coming across the border

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are a lot higher than we thought I mean

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to the tune of where it's coming close

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to matching what's generated say in

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California which is the biggest weed

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producing state for the cartels and of

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course for legitimate growers because

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we're a Mediterranean climate and we are

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a great marijuana state for growing

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outdoors and indoors but it's pretty

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eye-opening and shocking to me what I've

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learned actually in the last couple of

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months of how much the numbers on the

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border are increasing from stuff coming

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in from south of the border well and

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again when we say stuff as a result of

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them now being able to grow in the US

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the marijuana does that mean that

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they've shifted their attention a little

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bit more to other drugs getting those

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across they certainly have

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you see methamphetamine smuggle across

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the border the synthetic heroin fentanyl

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it's a highly highly potent very

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concentrated that's killing that that

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you know a thousand thousands of people

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across the u.s. being used and properly

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we're seeing a lot more of that coming

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across the border and like the tainted

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weed that's produced in the US by the

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cartels they're producing those

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mother what we call the white drugs the

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other narcotics in America as well so if

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we had a pie chart for what's coming

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across

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give me some percentages as to what

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percent you know kind of from a dollar

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standpoint I guess is marijuana its

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consists of marijuana versus let's say

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cocaine heroin methamphetamine and

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whatever I'm missing yeah you're gonna

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see a much higher number value

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numerically from a financial standpoint

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to drugs like cocaine because the cost

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is so much higher because it's so much

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more concentrated but you're looking at

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approximately and these are very general

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approximations because it's evident

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flowing on what we're seeing with trends

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increasing and decreasing but probably a

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little less than half of what's getting

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into America or right at the halfway

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point is being produced in Mexico and

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smuggled across half of what everything

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tainted weed methamphetamine the

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fentanyl as well as human trafficking in

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which everything is coming you know

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primarily from the south to the north

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when it comes to moving people across

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the border as well yeah so how many

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cartels are we dealing with right now do

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you know in Mexico there's you know

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there's so many because the the major

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cartels like Sinaloa the new generation

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cartel what used to be called La Familia

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Michoacana or lfm cartel there's a new

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version of that but they've all broken

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into little cells that are you know

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rivaling right now I mean the cartel

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wars going down in dangerous cities like

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Juarez right on the southwest Texas

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border they've all broken into factions

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they're all loosely associated with each

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other but they're territorial so that

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impact is now transcended into America

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where we know Sinaloa is embedded in

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America when you know the new generation

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cartel is embedded in America our team

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sees signs of that all the time but to

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pin it down to just those guys would be

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would be erroneous to do because we know

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the trends happening south of the border

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have they bisected and splintered so

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much in two rival factions we have many

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rival factions throughout America

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embedded doing drug crimes trafficking

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in humans running guns you name it a

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multitude of crimes what is their

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involvement with gangs in California

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they have direct involvement with our

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gangs that's a great question I don't

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get too much him and basically they do

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they sublet or base

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we subcontract in grow sites especially

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we've seen ms-13 gang members we've seen

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Asian gang members violent crews from

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from different factions that aren't from

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Mexico but have a gang embeddedness here

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in America we use California's example

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my old home state where we built

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marijuana Enforcement Team we see a lot

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of these gang members working for the

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cartels directly and running operations

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on the ground quite a bit actually are

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they aren't the gangs the primary

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retailer of the drugs yes in many cases

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they are because they're embedded here a

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lot of them have citizenship they have

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infrastructure they have distribution so

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it's a very cooperative network of

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utilizing assets they already have like

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contractors that know what they're doing

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in America to distribute that that

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foreign entity if you will for their

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black-market purposes what about the

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ones everybody always used to hear about

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I don't keep open the game fair there's

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always the Crips and the Bloods in South

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Central LA the Crips and the Bloods

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first of all major drug dealers am I

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correct

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they were primarily in the cocaine and

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the crack cocaine trade and I'm

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therefore you don't have a sorry so

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therefore you need to have a

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relationship with the cartels if you're

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gonna be getting this this product from

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from across the border right you very

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much do you very much do and we got to

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remember it's not just those embedded

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gang members that are distribution it's

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a lot of growers it's a lot of

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distributors it's a lot of armed gunmen

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and defenders from Mexico that get their

276
00:10:27,470 --> 00:10:25,530
metod 'no sand their expertise and their

277
00:10:29,180 --> 00:10:27,480
effectiveness down in the central

278
00:10:31,010 --> 00:10:29,190
highlands of mexico growing tainted weed

279
00:10:33,950 --> 00:10:31,020
you know producing methamphetamine and

280
00:10:35,300 --> 00:10:33,960
then once they are vetted and good at

281
00:10:37,010 --> 00:10:35,310
what they're doing down there and they

282
00:10:38,810 --> 00:10:37,020
do it successfully against the mexican

283
00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:38,820
government and the police forces are

284
00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:41,610
military then the cartels will spend the

285
00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:43,050
money to send them across the border get

286
00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:44,610
them smuggled very easily without any

287
00:10:48,980 --> 00:10:46,650
hindrance or for very little hindrance

288
00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:48,990
to embed in America and save that step

289
00:10:51,290 --> 00:10:50,370
we talked about as when we started

290
00:10:54,680 --> 00:10:51,300
discussing this today

291
00:10:56,810 --> 00:10:54,690
how many cartel members do you believe

292
00:10:57,500 --> 00:10:56,820
are in California right now as a part of

293
00:11:00,260 --> 00:10:57,510
this operation

294
00:11:02,180 --> 00:11:00,270
oh man I'm a conservative estimate I'm

295
00:11:04,550 --> 00:11:02,190
going to say 10,000 and it's probably

296
00:11:06,290 --> 00:11:04,560
much higher than that because what is so

297
00:11:08,030 --> 00:11:06,300
crazy and what we really started to

298
00:11:08,780 --> 00:11:08,040
learn through Intel circles and as we

299
00:11:10,940 --> 00:11:08,790
fought this fight

300
00:11:14,300 --> 00:11:10,950
directly as a focused effort with our

301
00:11:15,620 --> 00:11:14,310
new team that developed in 2013 we

302
00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:15,630
started to learn the infrastructure we

303
00:11:18,860 --> 00:11:17,010
started to be able to debrief some of

304
00:11:21,050 --> 00:11:18,870
these upper-level cartel Plaza bosses

305
00:11:23,330 --> 00:11:21,060
that were responsible for fifty to say a

306
00:11:26,330 --> 00:11:23,340
hundred grows in half a California or

307
00:11:28,850 --> 00:11:26,340
maybe even other states and to hear them

308
00:11:31,130 --> 00:11:28,860
talk about moving personnel around like

309
00:11:32,210 --> 00:11:31,140
an expert on apprentice commodity if

310
00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:32,220
like say you're a journeyman electrician

311
00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:35,490
and you can work on Levi's Stadium and

312
00:11:38,090 --> 00:11:36,930
build the new 49ers stadium as an

313
00:11:40,370 --> 00:11:38,100
electrician but all of a sudden you're

314
00:11:42,590 --> 00:11:40,380
needed to go to Seattle to work on

315
00:11:44,630 --> 00:11:42,600
another high-tech project you move to do

316
00:11:46,700 --> 00:11:44,640
that because you have expertise they

317
00:11:48,710 --> 00:11:46,710
work the same way their business model

318
00:11:50,390 --> 00:11:48,720
is very organized it's very logical it's

319
00:11:52,190 --> 00:11:50,400
very efficient and they need more

320
00:11:54,580 --> 00:11:52,200
embedded guys that are really good at

321
00:11:57,770 --> 00:11:54,590
what they're doing in grow sites in

322
00:11:59,420 --> 00:11:57,780
distribution centers defending this

323
00:12:00,710 --> 00:11:59,430
stuff you know from the field to

324
00:12:02,630 --> 00:12:00,720
distribution centers to get to the black

325
00:12:03,980 --> 00:12:02,640
market they need a lot of personnel and

326
00:12:07,220 --> 00:12:03,990
it's much easier to have them embedded

327
00:12:08,510 --> 00:12:07,230
kind of covertly in America than have to

328
00:12:11,420 --> 00:12:08,520
deal with that border crossing all the

329
00:12:13,490 --> 00:12:11,430
time so conservative estimate 10,000 in

330
00:12:15,140 --> 00:12:13,500
California alone and that's probably a

331
00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:15,150
very conservative estimate but when you

332
00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:16,290
look at the rest of the country that's

333
00:12:20,270 --> 00:12:18,210
affected by this the numbers are much

334
00:12:21,770 --> 00:12:20,280
higher because even though this is a

335
00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:21,780
california-based problem and where my

336
00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:24,330
experience lies we've learned that these

337
00:12:29,030 --> 00:12:27,090
cartels have human trafficking networks

338
00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:29,040
methamphetamine production in all 50

339
00:12:33,410 --> 00:12:31,290
states in the lower 48 we know they're

340
00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:33,420
embedded in every state so that takes

341
00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:35,490
personnel and we know what what's

342
00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:36,810
happening in California on the weed

343
00:12:43,460 --> 00:12:39,810
front being you know the primary primary

344
00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:43,470
method of profit and lucrative profit

345
00:12:47,750 --> 00:12:45,210
for the cartels in California because we

346
00:12:49,190 --> 00:12:47,760
grow so much good weed here the numbers

347
00:12:50,750 --> 00:12:49,200
are much higher now nationwide the night

348
00:12:54,170 --> 00:12:50,760
so the operation started in California

349
00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:54,180
but it has now moved nationwide it has

350
00:12:57,740 --> 00:12:56,250
it has and as much as my book goes in

351
00:13:00,100 --> 00:12:57,750
and hid more we have a grid map at the

352
00:13:02,450 --> 00:13:00,110
end of the book Jim that goes into

353
00:13:04,370 --> 00:13:02,460
presence we know in certain states and

354
00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:04,380
we know that 25 to 27 other states

355
00:13:08,390 --> 00:13:06,450
besides California have this toxically

356
00:13:11,270 --> 00:13:08,400
tainted marijuana production being done

357
00:13:12,680 --> 00:13:11,280
in those states by the cartels but we

358
00:13:14,660 --> 00:13:12,690
want to remember that these groups

359
00:13:16,220 --> 00:13:14,670
aren't just doing toxically tainted weed

360
00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:16,230
and on the environmental crime and

361
00:13:19,220 --> 00:13:17,370
public safety goes along with that

362
00:13:20,810 --> 00:13:19,230
they're also doing like we said

363
00:13:22,610 --> 00:13:20,820
methamphetamine fentanyl production

364
00:13:24,500 --> 00:13:22,620
human trafficking etc

365
00:13:26,090 --> 00:13:24,510
all 50 states and these are all the same

366
00:13:28,130 --> 00:13:26,100
groups so it's not like one groups just

367
00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:28,140
doing math and then the the marijuana

368
00:13:32,090 --> 00:13:30,330
experts are doing marijuana they're all

369
00:13:33,890 --> 00:13:32,100
multi trained and doing different things

370
00:13:35,060 --> 00:13:33,900
at different parts of the year it's a

371
00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:35,070
business enterprise that the more

372
00:13:38,330 --> 00:13:36,570
product that can put out the more profit

373
00:13:39,530 --> 00:13:38,340
they generate so the diversity of them

374
00:13:41,180 --> 00:13:39,540
being skilled and everything is

375
00:13:43,610 --> 00:13:41,190
beneficial to the organization and

376
00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:43,620
what's the estimate for dollar amount of

377
00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:47,130
annual growth in California whether you

378
00:13:50,510 --> 00:13:48,330
want to use the wholesale number the

379
00:13:52,460 --> 00:13:50,520
retail number either one but what's

380
00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:52,470
what's the dollar amount prime in

381
00:13:56,870 --> 00:13:54,090
California we're talking hundreds of

382
00:13:59,120 --> 00:13:56,880
millions if not load billions to put it

383
00:14:02,240 --> 00:13:59,130
in perspective we estimate between four

384
00:14:04,250 --> 00:14:02,250
and six thousand DTO what we call drug

385
00:14:06,470 --> 00:14:04,260
trafficking organization ie cartel

386
00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:06,480
marijuana grows in California alone

387
00:14:10,310 --> 00:14:08,370
every year what's the number again every

388
00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:10,320
four to six thousand four to six

389
00:14:16,670 --> 00:14:13,290
thousand and operations basically a farm

390
00:14:19,190 --> 00:14:16,680
right yep yep grow sites and in those

391
00:14:20,660 --> 00:14:19,200
grow sites you're talking about a small

392
00:14:23,210 --> 00:14:20,670
grow site is about two thousand plants

393
00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:23,220
and a monstrous one might be fifty to a

394
00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:25,290
hundred thousand plants let's take 5,000

395
00:14:29,750 --> 00:14:27,330
plants as be an average across the board

396
00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:29,760
and if you take 5,000 plants and you

397
00:14:33,380 --> 00:14:31,170
know that every plant they grow is going

398
00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:33,390
to produce a pound to two pounds maybe

399
00:14:38,030 --> 00:14:36,090
more of marketable bud material from

400
00:14:39,500 --> 00:14:38,040
each plant and even if you're talking

401
00:14:41,930 --> 00:14:39,510
eight hundred nine hundred thousand

402
00:14:43,010 --> 00:14:41,940
dollars or less per plant you add it to

403
00:14:44,540 --> 00:14:43,020
five thousand and do the multiplication

404
00:14:46,550 --> 00:14:44,550
you're talking about a whole lot of

405
00:14:48,380 --> 00:14:46,560
zeros you're talking about low a couple

406
00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:48,390
million on a small grow and you're

407
00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:49,770
talking twenty thirty forty million

408
00:14:54,890 --> 00:14:52,410
profit on a big grow over twenty

409
00:14:57,050 --> 00:14:54,900
thousand plants and knowing that we

410
00:15:00,530 --> 00:14:57,060
interdict we estimate if we're lucky

411
00:15:03,020 --> 00:15:00,540
we're getting twenty five to maybe

412
00:15:04,820 --> 00:15:03,030
thirty five percent of this at the most

413
00:15:06,500 --> 00:15:04,830
we're talking about a lot of stuff

414
00:15:08,660 --> 00:15:06,510
making it into the black market and a

415
00:15:10,060 --> 00:15:08,670
lot of black market money and the high

416
00:15:11,780 --> 00:15:10,070
hundreds of millions if not higher

417
00:15:14,270 --> 00:15:11,790
making it into the cartels

418
00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:14,280
infrastructure so in California is there

419
00:15:20,390 --> 00:15:18,090
more legal under California law legal

420
00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:20,400
marijuana grown or illegal marijuana

421
00:15:25,850 --> 00:15:23,730
grown I would I would say more illegal

422
00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:25,860
marijuana grown because we've regulated

423
00:15:29,330 --> 00:15:27,690
in California we've made it legal and

424
00:15:31,250 --> 00:15:29,340
recreational front we made it legal on

425
00:15:33,170 --> 00:15:31,260
the medicinal front but we still have a

426
00:15:36,350 --> 00:15:33,180
lot of those growers not in compliance

427
00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:36,360
because of the fees to do so

428
00:15:40,100 --> 00:15:38,490
permits needed the inspection they're

429
00:15:41,509 --> 00:15:40,110
gonna have from agencies like California

430
00:15:43,250 --> 00:15:41,519
Department of Fish and Wildlife or Water

431
00:15:45,980 --> 00:15:43,260
Board or other police regulatory

432
00:15:47,540 --> 00:15:45,990
agencies on the Cannabis front so we've

433
00:15:49,190 --> 00:15:47,550
actually seen a backlash since we've

434
00:15:51,500 --> 00:15:49,200
regulated in California the way we've

435
00:15:53,660 --> 00:15:51,510
regulated to an increase in the black

436
00:15:55,069 --> 00:15:53,670
market with not only the cartels which

437
00:15:56,690 --> 00:15:55,079
were always going to be black market

438
00:15:59,180 --> 00:15:56,700
regardless of regulation in California

439
00:16:01,759 --> 00:15:59,190
or not but now with the quasi legitimate

440
00:16:03,350 --> 00:16:01,769
growers saying okay I can't afford to

441
00:16:05,420 --> 00:16:03,360
regulate I can't afford to go through

442
00:16:07,069 --> 00:16:05,430
all this permit process and pay these

443
00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:07,079
fees and I don't want to be on the radar

444
00:16:10,490 --> 00:16:08,610
I'm just gonna stay black market and

445
00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:10,500
take my chances so we've unfortunately

446
00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:12,690
seen the black market increase on both

447
00:16:18,290 --> 00:16:14,850
fronts not just on the cartel trespass

448
00:16:20,449 --> 00:16:18,300
stuff all of these illegal drugs

449
00:16:23,030 --> 00:16:20,459
probably a billion plus that that the

450
00:16:25,100 --> 00:16:23,040
cartels are growing in California is all

451
00:16:27,500 --> 00:16:25,110
of this being sold on the black market

452
00:16:30,199 --> 00:16:27,510
or is any of it from a retail standpoint

453
00:16:33,079 --> 00:16:30,209
is any of it making its way maybe not

454
00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:33,089
necessarily to med men but I'll ask a

455
00:16:37,250 --> 00:16:35,250
question about med men or the other

456
00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:37,260
legal dispensaries do you think any of

457
00:16:40,639 --> 00:16:38,370
us being sold through these legal

458
00:16:42,439 --> 00:16:40,649
dispensaries we have seen in

459
00:16:44,740 --> 00:16:42,449
investigations at least a small

460
00:16:49,069 --> 00:16:44,750
percentage has gotten into dispensaries

461
00:16:51,380 --> 00:16:49,079
you know it legitimately rather it got

462
00:16:54,139 --> 00:16:51,390
in the back door rather it was you know

463
00:16:56,120 --> 00:16:54,149
sold as a wholesale product from a black

464
00:16:58,730 --> 00:16:56,130
market source we have seen it some

465
00:17:00,530 --> 00:16:58,740
dispensaries fortunately most of the

466
00:17:02,420 --> 00:17:00,540
dispensaries we see in California as an

467
00:17:04,789 --> 00:17:02,430
example you know knowing California

468
00:17:07,220 --> 00:17:04,799
regulation and cannabis issues be in my

469
00:17:09,230 --> 00:17:07,230
home state most of the dispensaries a

470
00:17:10,460 --> 00:17:09,240
vast majority of them are not having

471
00:17:12,319 --> 00:17:10,470
this stuff come through their

472
00:17:14,030 --> 00:17:12,329
dispensaries they're getting an organic

473
00:17:16,850 --> 00:17:14,040
testing they're looking for pesticides

474
00:17:18,620 --> 00:17:16,860
on the plants they're being rated and

475
00:17:20,329 --> 00:17:18,630
certified and tested now for purity

476
00:17:22,610 --> 00:17:20,339
which is really essential for cannabis

477
00:17:23,780 --> 00:17:22,620
users in the legitimate market that

478
00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:23,790
they're not ingesting these banned

479
00:17:27,049 --> 00:17:25,650
poisons on Cartel marijuana when they're

480
00:17:29,180 --> 00:17:27,059
going to a dispensary thinking they're

481
00:17:31,010 --> 00:17:29,190
getting a pure product so socially you

482
00:17:31,909 --> 00:17:31,020
have a lot of it in dispensaries so

483
00:17:33,409 --> 00:17:31,919
they're still being sold the

484
00:17:39,350 --> 00:17:33,419
old-fashioned way dealers on the street

485
00:17:41,030 --> 00:17:39,360
essentially essentially they are and and

486
00:17:42,289 --> 00:17:41,040
I like to say focus on California just

487
00:17:45,049 --> 00:17:42,299
because we're here and just because it's

488
00:17:47,570 --> 00:17:45,059
the biggest that business theoretically

489
00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:47,580
the black market sale of marijuana

490
00:17:51,940 --> 00:17:49,290
the illegal sale of marijuana the street

491
00:17:55,790 --> 00:17:51,950
sale through the local dealer that

492
00:17:57,980 --> 00:17:55,800
should be declining based on the

493
00:18:01,250 --> 00:17:57,990
legalization of marijuana and now being

494
00:18:02,210 --> 00:18:01,260
able to get it at Med men or your local

495
00:18:05,060 --> 00:18:02,220
dispensary

496
00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:05,070
so is that happening or not is is

497
00:18:09,410 --> 00:18:08,010
illegal sales declining illegal sales

498
00:18:11,330 --> 00:18:09,420
are not declining and this is the

499
00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:11,340
problem when you can get really really

500
00:18:18,170 --> 00:18:14,490
potent high THC content cartel black

501
00:18:21,380 --> 00:18:18,180
black-market marijuana for half or less

502
00:18:24,620 --> 00:18:21,390
than the price of organically pure well

503
00:18:28,340 --> 00:18:24,630
produced inspected you know basically

504
00:18:29,780 --> 00:18:28,350
seed to plant to sale cannabis people

505
00:18:31,370 --> 00:18:29,790
are going to go for that black market

506
00:18:32,750 --> 00:18:31,380
price and that price savings it's just

507
00:18:35,030 --> 00:18:32,760
the way the black market is always

508
00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:35,040
worked so sadly the way things are

509
00:18:38,660 --> 00:18:37,050
structured right now it is not helping

510
00:18:40,340 --> 00:18:38,670
reduce the black market and the black

511
00:18:42,830 --> 00:18:40,350
market is thriving because this because

512
00:18:43,610 --> 00:18:42,840
potent weed is very low costs on the

513
00:18:45,470 --> 00:18:43,620
black market

514
00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:45,480
even though if it's a cartel grow it's

515
00:18:49,220 --> 00:18:47,490
probably got EPA banned carbo fear and

516
00:18:51,590 --> 00:18:49,230
poisons all over it and you're ingesting

517
00:18:53,690 --> 00:18:51,600
nerve agents and carcinogens without

518
00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:53,700
knowing it but the demand is there in

519
00:18:59,660 --> 00:18:56,490
America for this stuff so it's right not

520
00:19:01,220 --> 00:18:59,670
to mention it's not taxed it's not taxed

521
00:19:03,590 --> 00:19:01,230
it's completely underground its cash

522
00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:03,600
sales only so there's a whole nother

523
00:19:08,750 --> 00:19:06,570
element of you know economy and you know

524
00:19:10,850 --> 00:19:08,760
checks and balances if you will in the

525
00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:10,860
business model throughout America being

526
00:19:16,130 --> 00:19:14,490
basically subverted so I think a lot of

527
00:19:17,930 --> 00:19:16,140
people I know the words getting out

528
00:19:19,370 --> 00:19:17,940
thanks to you and others but but I think

529
00:19:20,990 --> 00:19:19,380
there's still a huge percentage of the

530
00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:21,000
population that knows nothing about this

531
00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:23,490
that the Mexican drug cartels are

532
00:19:30,430 --> 00:19:25,970
operating a billion-dollar business

533
00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:30,440
within the state of California and

534
00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:32,610
you're saying it's been going on for

535
00:19:41,450 --> 00:19:36,810
decades right you personally discovered

536
00:19:43,310 --> 00:19:41,460
you you stumbled upon a site in 2004

537
00:19:43,910 --> 00:19:43,320
right and had been working on it ever

538
00:19:46,490 --> 00:19:43,920
since

539
00:19:48,230 --> 00:19:46,500
I guess one question for you is when you

540
00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:48,240
stumbled upon it and learned about this

541
00:19:52,010 --> 00:19:50,490
for the first time and then you shared

542
00:19:53,690 --> 00:19:52,020
this information with others were they

543
00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:53,700
saying oh yeah this is a big problem

544
00:19:59,120 --> 00:19:55,970
this has been around for a long time

545
00:20:01,630 --> 00:19:59,130
back then where I was where I found that

546
00:20:03,710 --> 00:20:01,640
growth site in the Silicon Valley it was

547
00:20:05,450 --> 00:20:03,720
pretty common knowledge with narcotics

548
00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:05,460
law enforcement traditional drug

549
00:20:09,620 --> 00:20:07,650
enforcement teams to know that that was

550
00:20:11,620 --> 00:20:09,630
going on but for game wardens to see it

551
00:20:13,610 --> 00:20:11,630
for the first time and to bring in

552
00:20:15,890 --> 00:20:13,620
conservationists and preservationist and

553
00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:15,900
outdoor enthusiasts to expose that

554
00:20:19,970 --> 00:20:18,330
element of what I was seeing until my

555
00:20:21,890 --> 00:20:19,980
first book or in the woods came out

556
00:20:23,450 --> 00:20:21,900
until we started doing the reality TV

557
00:20:24,470 --> 00:20:23,460
show about game wardens called wild

558
00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:24,480
justice on the National Geographic

559
00:20:28,940 --> 00:20:26,970
Channel no one knew about this the

560
00:20:30,770 --> 00:20:28,950
masses the general public throughout

561
00:20:32,510 --> 00:20:30,780
America went what the heck is going on

562
00:20:34,460 --> 00:20:32,520
this is an American who are these guys

563
00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:34,470
right right so who was so sorry so

564
00:20:41,659 --> 00:20:37,890
before you guys joined the fight who was

565
00:20:44,570 --> 00:20:41,669
fighting it was it just DEA was it state

566
00:20:46,580 --> 00:20:44,580
who was on the fight it was a multitude

567
00:20:48,049 --> 00:20:46,590
it was Drug Task Forces what they call

568
00:20:49,580 --> 00:20:48,059
high two teams high intensity drug

569
00:20:51,950 --> 00:20:49,590
trafficking area teams that were

570
00:20:53,570 --> 00:20:51,960
federally funded and state funded which

571
00:20:55,130 --> 00:20:53,580
would have a plethora of officers from

572
00:20:58,340 --> 00:20:55,140
everything from Highway Patrol to police

573
00:21:00,260 --> 00:20:58,350
departments to federal law enforcement

574
00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:00,270
like Bureau of Land Management Forest

575
00:21:03,789 --> 00:21:02,010
Service we weren't involved in those

576
00:21:05,990 --> 00:21:03,799
quite yet okay so bottom line

577
00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:06,000
the enforcement that was in place

578
00:21:10,460 --> 00:21:08,490
obviously was insufficient because we

579
00:21:12,380 --> 00:21:10,470
went from having zero grown in

580
00:21:15,289 --> 00:21:12,390
California to it being a billion-dollar

581
00:21:17,990 --> 00:21:15,299
business so this happened under the

582
00:21:20,990 --> 00:21:18,000
noses of state and federal authorities

583
00:21:22,730 --> 00:21:21,000
it starts becoming more known thanks to

584
00:21:25,159 --> 00:21:22,740
you discovering it writing a book about

585
00:21:27,649 --> 00:21:25,169
it and doing the net geo thing etc so

586
00:21:31,210 --> 00:21:27,659
since it's now been better known has

587
00:21:34,010 --> 00:21:31,220
additional resources been put on this

588
00:21:36,980 --> 00:21:34,020
compared to before and how significant

589
00:21:38,990 --> 00:21:36,990
it has the increase been absolutely a

590
00:21:41,270 --> 00:21:39,000
lot more resources have come to this and

591
00:21:42,830 --> 00:21:41,280
not just be not just because of our

592
00:21:45,380 --> 00:21:42,840
efforts on the Fish and Wildlife front

593
00:21:47,180 --> 00:21:45,390
and the game were in front but everybody

594
00:21:49,430 --> 00:21:47,190
started to take notice federal funding

595
00:21:51,799 --> 00:21:49,440
started to shift from just eradicating

596
00:21:53,419 --> 00:21:51,809
plants to restoring environmental damage

597
00:21:54,830 --> 00:21:53,429
the drug czars under the Obama

598
00:21:57,140 --> 00:21:54,840
administration under the Trump

599
00:21:59,120 --> 00:21:57,150
administration are fully aware of what's

600
00:22:00,890 --> 00:21:59,130
going on with this because of the press

601
00:22:03,470 --> 00:22:00,900
because of the books because of the TV

602
00:22:07,250 --> 00:22:03,480
shows because of scientific work that

603
00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:07,260
groups like ie RC the NGO scientific

604
00:22:10,789 --> 00:22:08,490
study group that's looking at the

605
00:22:12,590 --> 00:22:10,799
poisons and the soils the waterways from

606
00:22:14,659 --> 00:22:12,600
these trespass cartel grows that's

607
00:22:15,289 --> 00:22:14,669
getting out into national news all of

608
00:22:17,389 --> 00:22:15,299
those efforts

609
00:22:19,070 --> 00:22:17,399
are fueling awareness nationally and I'm

610
00:22:20,869 --> 00:22:19,080
certainly now in retirement pushing

611
00:22:22,639 --> 00:22:20,879
awareness on the national front as far

612
00:22:25,190 --> 00:22:22,649
and wide as I can like with you today

613
00:22:26,509 --> 00:22:25,200
and I'm grateful for this to expose the

614
00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:26,519
issue more and more so we do get more

615
00:22:32,749 --> 00:22:28,970
fun so have these alerts resulted in

616
00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:32,759
less of it is it reducing it yet or is

617
00:22:37,580 --> 00:22:35,129
it still gross yeah it's still growing

618
00:22:39,499 --> 00:22:37,590
but we have gone from I would say when

619
00:22:41,330 --> 00:22:39,509
we first started doing this back in say

620
00:22:43,999 --> 00:22:41,340
2004 when I found that first Silicon

621
00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:44,009
Valley grow site all law enforcement is

622
00:22:47,029 --> 00:22:45,330
he at that time we felt like we were

623
00:22:49,220 --> 00:22:47,039
lucky to get five to 10% of this stuff

624
00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:49,230
eradicated out of the field and stop

625
00:22:53,479 --> 00:22:51,090
these guys from operating in our forests

626
00:22:55,609 --> 00:22:53,489
within American soil now we're up to you

627
00:22:57,590 --> 00:22:55,619
know maybe as much as 40% on a good day

628
00:22:59,989 --> 00:22:57,600
so we're making a bigger dent we're

629
00:23:01,759 --> 00:22:59,999
effectively taking more of it out we're

630
00:23:03,379 --> 00:23:01,769
catching more people we're putting more

631
00:23:05,149 --> 00:23:03,389
of a hindrance on their efforts making

632
00:23:07,099 --> 00:23:05,159
it harder for them to profit but we're

633
00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:07,109
not stopping it because ultimately when

634
00:23:11,180 --> 00:23:08,970
40-plus million Americans have a

635
00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:11,190
cannabis desire and they can get it on

636
00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:12,210
the black market

637
00:23:17,060 --> 00:23:14,970
that desire obviously that that need

638
00:23:18,710 --> 00:23:17,070
will fuel this black market as long as

639
00:23:19,759 --> 00:23:18,720
the black market is profitable so we're

640
00:23:21,139 --> 00:23:19,769
not going to stop it but we're gonna

641
00:23:22,430 --> 00:23:21,149
slow it down and hold back the tide a

642
00:23:24,919 --> 00:23:22,440
little bit as best we can

643
00:23:26,749 --> 00:23:24,929
well when I see some of the numbers the

644
00:23:28,369 --> 00:23:26,759
the they're not very impressive but

645
00:23:32,029 --> 00:23:28,379
maybe I'm not seeing all the numbers I

646
00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:32,039
saw some number about 400 Game Wardens

647
00:23:37,430 --> 00:23:33,570
is that how many great state of

648
00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:37,440
California yeah we're over that now and

649
00:23:40,489 --> 00:23:38,850
we're actually we've gained a lot of

650
00:23:42,259 --> 00:23:40,499
game words because of funding through

651
00:23:44,899 --> 00:23:42,269
cannabis enforcement programs we have

652
00:23:46,789 --> 00:23:44,909
close to 70 to 80 game words out of our

653
00:23:49,009 --> 00:23:46,799
four to 500 game words in California

654
00:23:51,169 --> 00:23:49,019
dedicated to just cannabis enforcement

655
00:23:52,940 --> 00:23:51,179
okay so certainly optical unit I

656
00:23:54,499 --> 00:23:52,950
developed in those guys but all these

657
00:23:57,019 --> 00:23:54,509
other marijuana permitting teams and

658
00:23:59,299 --> 00:23:57,029
watershed force matine's regulating on

659
00:24:01,489 --> 00:23:59,309
the private lands the new quasi legal

660
00:24:03,499 --> 00:24:01,499
growers making sure they're compliant to

661
00:24:04,820 --> 00:24:03,509
make a bigger dent so we're growing but

662
00:24:06,049 --> 00:24:04,830
we're not growing fast enough to keep up

663
00:24:07,489 --> 00:24:06,059
with the demand and the problem out

664
00:24:10,759 --> 00:24:07,499
there by any means yeah so you're really

665
00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:10,769
just saying 70 are dedicated to the

666
00:24:15,470 --> 00:24:12,690
marijuana what you call the MIT the

667
00:24:16,789 --> 00:24:15,480
marijuana enforcement team yeah well the

668
00:24:18,710 --> 00:24:16,799
marijuana enforcement team is our

669
00:24:20,029 --> 00:24:18,720
tactical unit the one we formed up and I

670
00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:20,039
talked about hidden war and there's

671
00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:21,570
there's a handful of guys on that only

672
00:24:26,570 --> 00:24:24,450
about 10 to 12 and canines and then the

673
00:24:29,090 --> 00:24:26,580
rest of that we're part of that 70 and

674
00:24:31,100 --> 00:24:29,100
the rest of those officers are on

675
00:24:33,770 --> 00:24:31,110
teams that don't deal necessarily with

676
00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:33,780
the outdoor trespass cartel threat they

677
00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:35,850
deal with the private land illegal or

678
00:24:39,950 --> 00:24:37,890
legal grows on people that are citizens

679
00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:39,960
here on their own private land rather

680
00:24:43,850 --> 00:24:41,610
they've legalized or not and then

681
00:24:46,190 --> 00:24:43,860
Newsome our governor announced I think

682
00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:46,200
it's been about a year ago now that he

683
00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:48,690
was bringing National Guard troops to

684
00:24:52,250 --> 00:24:51,090
bear on the problem but again the number

685
00:24:54,380 --> 00:24:52,260
was pretty modest I think it was like a

686
00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:54,390
hundred and forty National Guard members

687
00:24:59,690 --> 00:24:56,010
that were being redeployed from the

688
00:25:01,159 --> 00:24:59,700
border to these areas right right and

689
00:25:02,630 --> 00:25:01,169
that was something really good our new

690
00:25:04,909 --> 00:25:02,640
governor did in California was

691
00:25:06,560 --> 00:25:04,919
acknowledge the trespass grow problem

692
00:25:09,500 --> 00:25:06,570
even though regulation was supposed to

693
00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:09,510
solve that he learned from reports and

694
00:25:12,860 --> 00:25:10,890
from experiences of what we were doing

695
00:25:15,350 --> 00:25:12,870
on the ground that after two years since

696
00:25:16,820 --> 00:25:15,360
prop 64 was passed the black market was

697
00:25:18,830 --> 00:25:16,830
thriving the cartel groups weren't

698
00:25:20,210 --> 00:25:18,840
slowing down and there was actually less

699
00:25:22,549 --> 00:25:20,220
pressure and attention from law

700
00:25:24,620 --> 00:25:22,559
enforcement on them in our national

701
00:25:27,230 --> 00:25:24,630
forests and our public lands once Prop

702
00:25:28,700 --> 00:25:27,240
64 past and that catalyzed the need to

703
00:25:29,930 --> 00:25:28,710
bring in National Guard that we've

704
00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:29,940
worked with for the better part of

705
00:25:33,380 --> 00:25:32,010
twenty years very effectively they've

706
00:25:34,669 --> 00:25:33,390
been involved in the counter drug task

707
00:25:37,039 --> 00:25:34,679
force when they're not deployed overseas

708
00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:37,049
of helping us in these cartel grow sites

709
00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:39,690
but to make a concerted effort to move

710
00:25:45,500 --> 00:25:42,330
personnel to help us was a great move

711
00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:45,510
and and definitely necessary and still

712
00:25:49,310 --> 00:25:47,010
seems like a pretty modest number though

713
00:25:52,820 --> 00:25:49,320
140 I mean still seems like we need a

714
00:25:55,060 --> 00:25:52,830
lot more than that to get every growth

715
00:25:57,140 --> 00:25:55,070
site more people would help definitely

716
00:25:58,970 --> 00:25:57,150
logistically with all the other wildlife

717
00:26:00,260 --> 00:25:58,980
enforcement tasks we have on Fish and

718
00:26:02,419 --> 00:26:00,270
Wildlife front all the things the

719
00:26:04,399 --> 00:26:02,429
National Guard have to do it really

720
00:26:05,750 --> 00:26:04,409
comes back to force multiplying and

721
00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:05,760
bringing teams together because we're

722
00:26:09,620 --> 00:26:07,530
just understaffed in every single

723
00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:09,630
particular entity rather it's game

724
00:26:13,940 --> 00:26:11,850
wardens rather it's Drug Task Force a

725
00:26:16,789 --> 00:26:13,950
Narcotics Task Force members police

726
00:26:18,590 --> 00:26:16,799
officers sheriff's deputies BLM Rangers

727
00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:18,600
Forest Service elio there's just not

728
00:26:22,580 --> 00:26:20,490
enough of us to tackle this thing safely

729
00:26:23,870 --> 00:26:22,590
because these operations take a lot of

730
00:26:25,970 --> 00:26:23,880
personnel that are really well trained

731
00:26:27,740 --> 00:26:25,980
and skilled they take really good can is

732
00:26:29,029 --> 00:26:27,750
to do them effectively and to get out of

733
00:26:31,700 --> 00:26:29,039
there safe because of the dangers we

734
00:26:33,649 --> 00:26:31,710
face so it ties up a lot of resources to

735
00:26:34,909 --> 00:26:33,659
do one grow site and if we're looking at

736
00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:34,919
four to six thousand a year in

737
00:26:38,270 --> 00:26:37,290
California it's real obvious when you

738
00:26:40,130 --> 00:26:38,280
start doing the numbers and the

739
00:26:42,499 --> 00:26:40,140
comparisons and you do those ratios and

740
00:26:43,669 --> 00:26:42,509
fraction it out there's no way we

741
00:26:45,289 --> 00:26:43,679
have enough people and enough time and

742
00:26:47,839 --> 00:26:45,299
the day to get all of them what impact

743
00:26:49,279 --> 00:26:47,849
does being a sanctuary state have on the

744
00:26:51,769 --> 00:26:49,289
problem would you say I mean just

745
00:26:53,329 --> 00:26:51,779
obviously if you arrest somebody in

746
00:26:55,249 --> 00:26:53,339
California he's not gonna get deported

747
00:26:56,449 --> 00:26:55,259
he's gonna go through the court system

748
00:26:57,589 --> 00:26:56,459
and he's gonna spend time in jail and

749
00:27:00,560 --> 00:26:57,599
then he's going to get out of jail and

750
00:27:02,899 --> 00:27:00,570
he's free to then go back to his cartel

751
00:27:05,149 --> 00:27:02,909
work so that's one impact of sanctuary

752
00:27:06,889 --> 00:27:05,159
state could you comment on what you see

753
00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:06,899
the implications are of that on this

754
00:27:11,149 --> 00:27:09,690
fight yeah I absolutely can and I talked

755
00:27:13,129 --> 00:27:11,159
about this in the last chapter hidden

756
00:27:15,889 --> 00:27:13,139
more of what what are we really doing

757
00:27:17,419 --> 00:27:15,899
with sanctuary state doctrine we need to

758
00:27:19,339 --> 00:27:17,429
remember when we're talking about cartel

759
00:27:20,659 --> 00:27:19,349
black-market cannabis growers and all

760
00:27:22,549 --> 00:27:20,669
those other crimes we talked about the

761
00:27:24,559 --> 00:27:22,559
beginning of the show we're not talking

762
00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:24,569
about people from Mexico that are that

763
00:27:27,849 --> 00:27:26,129
are illegal immigrants coming across the

764
00:27:30,139 --> 00:27:27,859
border to try to make a better family

765
00:27:32,269 --> 00:27:30,149
opportunity for themselves get into the

766
00:27:35,209 --> 00:27:32,279
workforce and not do anything harmful to

767
00:27:37,159 --> 00:27:35,219
the public or to wildlife our particular

768
00:27:39,019 --> 00:27:37,169
group that we're tackling are deportable

769
00:27:40,669 --> 00:27:39,029
felons they're usually on international

770
00:27:42,829 --> 00:27:40,679
watch list because they have felony

771
00:27:44,899 --> 00:27:42,839
convictions or a you know arrest

772
00:27:46,609 --> 00:27:44,909
warrants for murder for assault with

773
00:27:48,289 --> 00:27:46,619
weapons for narcotics trafficking you

774
00:27:50,119 --> 00:27:48,299
name it and sanctuary state

775
00:27:53,239 --> 00:27:50,129
unfortunately protects those individuals

776
00:27:55,669 --> 00:27:53,249
from one being deported or handled by

777
00:27:57,889 --> 00:27:55,679
ice agents or federal agents that handle

778
00:28:00,919 --> 00:27:57,899
that as their you know general general

779
00:28:03,169 --> 00:28:00,929
general duties but it also hinders us

780
00:28:05,359 --> 00:28:03,179
from doing anything with them through

781
00:28:07,459 --> 00:28:05,369
our court system and working with

782
00:28:09,469 --> 00:28:07,469
federal officers that need to get these

783
00:28:10,819 --> 00:28:09,479
guys out of circulation and so they

784
00:28:12,949 --> 00:28:10,829
don't do any more harm in America

785
00:28:14,389 --> 00:28:12,959
there's a little bit of a contradiction

786
00:28:17,059 --> 00:28:14,399
there quite a bit of a contradiction

787
00:28:18,729 --> 00:28:17,069
actually and so sanctuary state as it

788
00:28:20,329 --> 00:28:18,739
sits right now to blanket protecting

789
00:28:23,149 --> 00:28:20,339
everybody coming up from Mexico

790
00:28:24,649 --> 00:28:23,159
illegally I think needs to be looked at

791
00:28:26,569 --> 00:28:24,659
especially when it comes to deportable

792
00:28:29,979 --> 00:28:26,579
felons that we're facing and how

793
00:28:32,659 --> 00:28:29,989
dangerous these guys are if there have

794
00:28:35,180 --> 00:28:32,669
federal charges out there pending

795
00:28:37,519 --> 00:28:35,190
against them is there even cooperation

796
00:28:41,059 --> 00:28:37,529
in that regard where they're handed over

797
00:28:42,469 --> 00:28:41,069
to the FBI or the defense yeah again it

798
00:28:44,059 --> 00:28:42,479
depends on what city and what state

799
00:28:45,739 --> 00:28:44,069
you're in in California for law

800
00:28:47,269 --> 00:28:45,749
enforcement we've sometimes been given

801
00:28:49,489 --> 00:28:47,279
gag orders and I talked about this in

802
00:28:51,619 --> 00:28:49,499
the new book where we're on a case we

803
00:28:53,930 --> 00:28:51,629
capture deportable felons we've actually

804
00:28:55,729 --> 00:28:53,940
gotten gun fights with them and/or our

805
00:28:56,430 --> 00:28:55,739
canines have had you engage and bite a

806
00:28:57,930 --> 00:28:56,440
suspect

807
00:29:00,660 --> 00:28:57,940
was armed and trying to bear a gun down

808
00:29:02,610 --> 00:29:00,670
on us and because of sanctuary state we

809
00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:02,620
were told don't talk to ice officers

810
00:29:07,740 --> 00:29:05,610
don't talk to immigration services

811
00:29:09,090 --> 00:29:07,750
because this needs to be let go we're in

812
00:29:11,190 --> 00:29:09,100
a sanctuary state that comes straight

813
00:29:13,380 --> 00:29:11,200
from the top and that just doesn't add

814
00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:13,390
up it doesn't make sense because I don't

815
00:29:17,460 --> 00:29:15,370
think anybody that under the doctrine of

816
00:29:19,110 --> 00:29:17,470
or the orchestrators the builders of the

817
00:29:21,690 --> 00:29:19,120
sanctuary state doctrine in California

818
00:29:23,070 --> 00:29:21,700
as an example ever foresaw or I would

819
00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:23,080
hope would not want to protect

820
00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:24,730
affordable felons from being handled in

821
00:29:28,230 --> 00:29:26,650
the justice system and at least taken

822
00:29:29,940 --> 00:29:28,240
out of circulation so they can't do any

823
00:29:31,950 --> 00:29:29,950
more harm to our wildlife waterways and

824
00:29:34,050 --> 00:29:31,960
wild lands and worse than that are more

825
00:29:36,210 --> 00:29:34,060
public yeah well you know Newsom could

826
00:29:38,460 --> 00:29:36,220
really really score points politically

827
00:29:40,110 --> 00:29:38,470
if he were to come forward and say

828
00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:40,120
something along the lines you said is to

829
00:29:45,990 --> 00:29:43,930
recognize to his credit he brought light

830
00:29:49,140 --> 00:29:46,000
to this problem he's acknowledging that

831
00:29:52,170 --> 00:29:49,150
we've got Mexican drug cartels growing

832
00:29:54,420 --> 00:29:52,180
weed in our state and we need to stop it

833
00:29:56,880 --> 00:29:54,430
he should also come out and say and also

834
00:30:00,540 --> 00:29:56,890
I'm gonna modify this sanctuary state

835
00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:00,550
rules so that it only applies in certain

836
00:30:05,850 --> 00:30:03,850
circumstances in not others absolutely I

837
00:30:07,380 --> 00:30:05,860
agree with that 100% and kudos to our

838
00:30:09,180 --> 00:30:07,390
new governor for making that step

839
00:30:10,580 --> 00:30:09,190
acknowledging to publicly bring in

840
00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:10,590
National Guard members up and

841
00:30:15,210 --> 00:30:12,690
differentiating the difference between

842
00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:15,220
deportable felons and any immigration

843
00:30:19,230 --> 00:30:17,170
you know not making about an immigration

844
00:30:21,060 --> 00:30:19,240
issue not making it about a border

845
00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:21,070
control issue but really making it about

846
00:30:25,170 --> 00:30:23,650
an environmental crime destruction of

847
00:30:28,230 --> 00:30:25,180
our resources and a public safety issue

848
00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:28,240
and identifying who's causing that and

849
00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:30,130
that would be neat to see and you know

850
00:30:33,330 --> 00:30:31,570
kudos if the governor does make that

851
00:30:35,190 --> 00:30:33,340
distinction and continues to put efforts

852
00:30:38,010 --> 00:30:35,200
to stopping these deportable felons

853
00:30:40,340 --> 00:30:38,020
decimating our wildlife and then what

854
00:30:44,190 --> 00:30:40,350
about just cooperation with the feds

855
00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:44,200
generally let's say the DEA or is the

856
00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:46,810
DEA doing all they should to work with

857
00:30:53,370 --> 00:30:50,290
you guys on this problem or is there a

858
00:30:57,480 --> 00:30:53,380
tension between federal and state as a

859
00:30:59,070 --> 00:30:57,490
result of sanctuary state etc well and

860
00:31:01,380 --> 00:30:59,080
the fact that California has legalized

861
00:31:03,590 --> 00:31:01,390
marijuana and and the feds have kind of

862
00:31:05,520 --> 00:31:03,600
taken somewhat of a hands-off approach

863
00:31:07,500 --> 00:31:05,530
absolutely you're always gonna have that

864
00:31:08,760 --> 00:31:07,510
tension because of the politics involved

865
00:31:10,050 --> 00:31:08,770
but here's what I've learned when it

866
00:31:12,150 --> 00:31:10,060
comes to boots on the ground

867
00:31:14,700 --> 00:31:12,160
and having run a team from the ground

868
00:31:16,740 --> 00:31:14,710
level leading missions with my guys and

869
00:31:20,100 --> 00:31:16,750
doing our missions and then working with

870
00:31:21,570 --> 00:31:20,110
ice agents or FBI or DEA we're all about

871
00:31:23,370 --> 00:31:21,580
protecting America and nobody's

872
00:31:24,540 --> 00:31:23,380
anti-immigration we're about protecting

873
00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:24,550
our wildlife protecting our public

874
00:31:28,500 --> 00:31:26,770
safety and we work together fine at the

875
00:31:31,140 --> 00:31:28,510
field level when politics get involved

876
00:31:32,610 --> 00:31:31,150
up higher and you know politically our

877
00:31:33,990 --> 00:31:32,620
directors and our Chiefs are given

878
00:31:36,300 --> 00:31:34,000
certain directives that we can't work

879
00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:36,310
with the feds tensions arise at the

880
00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:37,930
upper-level echelon and hinder

881
00:31:42,210 --> 00:31:39,730
operations they truly do and they have

882
00:31:43,530 --> 00:31:42,220
in the past they started to the second

883
00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:43,540
we had a sanctuary state doctor in

884
00:31:48,810 --> 00:31:46,810
California and really even after prop 64

885
00:31:50,340 --> 00:31:48,820
has passed but the bottom line is when

886
00:31:52,410 --> 00:31:50,350
it comes to the agents working the field

887
00:31:54,270 --> 00:31:52,420
we're all on the same page and we just

888
00:31:55,590 --> 00:31:54,280
want to protect our public and we want

889
00:31:57,690 --> 00:31:55,600
to protect our Wildlife Resources

890
00:31:59,730 --> 00:31:57,700
estimated and we'd like to see that

891
00:32:01,590 --> 00:31:59,740
transcend into the political arena to be

892
00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:01,600
more effective can't yeah what I'm

893
00:32:06,300 --> 00:32:03,010
really saying is it would not surprise

894
00:32:09,840 --> 00:32:06,310
me if the feds through the DEA and FBI

895
00:32:11,450 --> 00:32:09,850
cetera are putting limited resources

896
00:32:13,710 --> 00:32:11,460
toward this problem in California

897
00:32:14,970 --> 00:32:13,720
because they're saying well you guys are

898
00:32:16,980 --> 00:32:14,980
the ones that legalized it so you

899
00:32:18,420 --> 00:32:16,990
legalize marijuana in your state which

900
00:32:21,390 --> 00:32:18,430
it's you know still against federal law

901
00:32:22,710 --> 00:32:21,400
and you guys are a sanctuary state

902
00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:22,720
you're not cooperating with us and I

903
00:32:27,990 --> 00:32:24,970
think so you know this is your problem

904
00:32:29,970 --> 00:32:28,000
and the DEA is not putting as much

905
00:32:32,490 --> 00:32:29,980
resources into California as they might

906
00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:32,500
have otherwise that's absolutely the

907
00:32:35,940 --> 00:32:34,450
case and something we've seen and we're

908
00:32:37,860 --> 00:32:35,950
not getting a whole lot of federal help

909
00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:37,870
unless it's from those those resource

910
00:32:42,690 --> 00:32:39,850
type agencies like BLM and Forest

911
00:32:44,700 --> 00:32:42,700
Service involved in cartel marijuana

912
00:32:46,650 --> 00:32:44,710
operations we're not seeing it from the

913
00:32:48,810 --> 00:32:46,660
DEA anymore per se we're not seeing it

914
00:32:50,340 --> 00:32:48,820
from the FBI you know when it can

915
00:32:52,350 --> 00:32:50,350
involve them unless it goes on in Ursa

916
00:32:54,900 --> 00:32:52,360
Major interstate case it's gonna go you

917
00:32:56,490 --> 00:32:54,910
know back east and involve some illegal

918
00:32:58,050 --> 00:32:56,500
transport across state lines things like

919
00:33:00,240 --> 00:32:58,060
that but no we're not seeing that type

920
00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:00,250
of cooperation and understandably so you

921
00:33:05,010 --> 00:33:03,250
hit that one on the head and going back

922
00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:05,020
to the legal market you know we need to

923
00:33:08,130 --> 00:33:06,850
reduce the price on the legal market so

924
00:33:09,660 --> 00:33:08,140
that it's more competitive with the

925
00:33:12,060 --> 00:33:09,670
illegal market to help drive that out

926
00:33:15,750 --> 00:33:12,070
right what what are you seeing that the

927
00:33:18,270 --> 00:33:15,760
state is doing wrong with the the legal

928
00:33:20,370 --> 00:33:18,280
sale of marijuana well there's just red

929
00:33:22,410 --> 00:33:20,380
tape and there's red tape since we we

930
00:33:23,940 --> 00:33:22,420
regulated and Prop 64 was voted into

931
00:33:25,980 --> 00:33:23,950
effect a couple of years ago

932
00:33:28,740 --> 00:33:25,990
now but we did not have the bandwidth

933
00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:28,750
not only on my old agency's side but in

934
00:33:34,759 --> 00:33:31,330
any other regulatory agency licensing

935
00:33:39,240 --> 00:33:34,769
groups to really get these new growers

936
00:33:42,029 --> 00:33:39,250
into the system quickly efficiently and

937
00:33:44,430 --> 00:33:42,039
get them operational and inspected and

938
00:33:47,220 --> 00:33:44,440
on track legally in an effective way and

939
00:33:48,690 --> 00:33:47,230
when we look at the when we look at all

940
00:33:50,220 --> 00:33:48,700
the permits that are required for these

941
00:33:51,690 --> 00:33:50,230
growers trying to legitimize themselves

942
00:33:53,700 --> 00:33:51,700
even if they've come out of previously

943
00:33:55,710 --> 00:33:53,710
being black market growers for say 20

944
00:33:57,690 --> 00:33:55,720
years and it's gonna cost them between

945
00:33:59,190 --> 00:33:57,700
40 and 80 thousand dollars in permits

946
00:34:00,990 --> 00:33:59,200
and they're gonna have to wait six

947
00:34:02,490 --> 00:34:01,000
months to a year in a particular County

948
00:34:05,100 --> 00:34:02,500
in California before they can grow

949
00:34:07,860 --> 00:34:05,110
legally we're not we're not helping that

950
00:34:09,419 --> 00:34:07,870
legalization we all voted in from right

951
00:34:11,069 --> 00:34:09,429
wrong or indifferent we're not helping

952
00:34:12,300 --> 00:34:11,079
that process out we're basically driving

953
00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:12,310
those growers back into the black market

954
00:34:15,690 --> 00:34:14,530
so we need to eliminate the red tape a

955
00:34:17,700 --> 00:34:15,700
regulation if we're gonna stay

956
00:34:19,169 --> 00:34:17,710
regulating in California we have to make

957
00:34:20,909 --> 00:34:19,179
sure these growers are compliant

958
00:34:22,109 --> 00:34:20,919
environmentally they're not harming the

959
00:34:24,720 --> 00:34:22,119
public safety which if done correctly

960
00:34:25,919 --> 00:34:24,730
they won't but we're just not seeing

961
00:34:27,180 --> 00:34:25,929
that we're seeing that black market

962
00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:27,190
thrive like we've been talking about so

963
00:34:30,359 --> 00:34:29,290
far in your show because it's not an

964
00:34:32,220 --> 00:34:30,369
efficient process

965
00:34:34,740 --> 00:34:32,230
it'll be very slow unfortunately we

966
00:34:37,550 --> 00:34:34,750
interviewed coincidentally a guy just

967
00:34:40,409 --> 00:34:37,560
this week about marijuana in Colorado

968
00:34:43,859 --> 00:34:40,419
and he's written a book about it there

969
00:34:46,409 --> 00:34:43,869
and really had you know 80% positive

970
00:34:48,210 --> 00:34:46,419
things to say about how it has gone in

971
00:34:49,680 --> 00:34:48,220
Colorado and been implemented and what

972
00:34:51,540 --> 00:34:49,690
it's done in reducing the black market

973
00:34:53,609 --> 00:34:51,550
cetera it seems like it was implemented

974
00:34:56,339 --> 00:34:53,619
well there and perhaps not so well in

975
00:34:59,160 --> 00:34:56,349
California well it's it's a mixed bag in

976
00:35:00,930 --> 00:34:59,170
Colorado honestly Colorado still has and

977
00:35:03,690 --> 00:35:00,940
had a problem right when they regulated

978
00:35:05,430 --> 00:35:03,700
of black market interstate transport to

979
00:35:07,380 --> 00:35:05,440
the joining states just east of Colorado

980
00:35:09,839 --> 00:35:07,390
so there was still a thriving black

981
00:35:12,210 --> 00:35:09,849
market from Colorado produced cannabis

982
00:35:13,859 --> 00:35:12,220
not necessarily in Colorado per se but

983
00:35:16,530 --> 00:35:13,869
to the other states and this gets into

984
00:35:19,620 --> 00:35:16,540
the federal regulation issue do we look

985
00:35:22,050 --> 00:35:19,630
at widespread federal regulation across

986
00:35:23,790 --> 00:35:22,060
the board making it fairly inexpensive

987
00:35:25,500 --> 00:35:23,800
or approachable that for cannabis users

988
00:35:27,720 --> 00:35:25,510
that are going to use cannabis that they

989
00:35:29,849 --> 00:35:27,730
get it at an even price and romantically

990
00:35:31,559 --> 00:35:29,859
pure product that is universal across

991
00:35:33,359 --> 00:35:31,569
the nation where the cartels black

992
00:35:35,609 --> 00:35:33,369
market is virtually eliminated or

993
00:35:37,859 --> 00:35:35,619
significantly impacted we need to look

994
00:35:38,970 --> 00:35:37,869
at that consideration as well because

995
00:35:40,920 --> 00:35:38,980
none of the states that have regulated

996
00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:40,930
honestly including Colorado have been

997
00:35:45,359 --> 00:35:42,490
without their problems of still

998
00:35:46,829 --> 00:35:45,369
generating a good black market in the

999
00:35:49,170 --> 00:35:46,839
states around them to have it regulated

1000
00:35:51,420 --> 00:35:49,180
yeah it's really silly that the federal

1001
00:35:54,509 --> 00:35:51,430
government hasn't done anything yet

1002
00:35:55,319 --> 00:35:54,519
to address this and basically change the

1003
00:35:56,789 --> 00:35:55,329
law

1004
00:35:58,380 --> 00:35:56,799
I guess you're hearing some of it now

1005
00:36:00,329 --> 00:35:58,390
and the Democratic debates I noticed

1006
00:36:02,430 --> 00:36:00,339
that at the last one a couple of them

1007
00:36:04,109 --> 00:36:02,440
came forward so they're gonna they want

1008
00:36:08,220 --> 00:36:04,119
to legalize marijuana very early in

1009
00:36:09,989 --> 00:36:08,230
their administration yeah I think it's

1010
00:36:11,160 --> 00:36:09,999
always a hot-button topic you know this

1011
00:36:12,509 --> 00:36:11,170
is one of those things and even though

1012
00:36:14,700 --> 00:36:12,519
we named the book the new book hidden

1013
00:36:17,039 --> 00:36:14,710
war because so few people seem to really

1014
00:36:18,660 --> 00:36:17,049
know the depth of the problem and the

1015
00:36:20,579 --> 00:36:18,670
damage is going on environmentally and

1016
00:36:23,069 --> 00:36:20,589
the threat to public safety that we have

1017
00:36:24,720 --> 00:36:23,079
in our public lands this is an issue

1018
00:36:26,069 --> 00:36:24,730
that's hotter than people think and it

1019
00:36:27,450 --> 00:36:26,079
involves even if you're not a cannabis

1020
00:36:29,069 --> 00:36:27,460
user or don't really have a stance on

1021
00:36:30,870 --> 00:36:29,079
cannabis one way or the other you're

1022
00:36:32,549 --> 00:36:30,880
getting affected by it directly or

1023
00:36:34,920 --> 00:36:32,559
indirectly whether its environmental

1024
00:36:37,230 --> 00:36:34,930
crime water poisoning threat to you and

1025
00:36:39,539 --> 00:36:37,240
the outdoors or a thriving black market

1026
00:36:41,489 --> 00:36:39,549
that doesn't only involve cannabis but

1027
00:36:43,739 --> 00:36:41,499
in the case of the cartels like we've

1028
00:36:45,390 --> 00:36:43,749
talked about all these other crimes so

1029
00:36:47,999 --> 00:36:45,400
it does need to be addressed it needs to

1030
00:36:49,739 --> 00:36:48,009
be looked at federally as a priority and

1031
00:36:52,259 --> 00:36:49,749
there definitely need to be changes in

1032
00:36:53,789 --> 00:36:52,269
in how we regulate in certain states

1033
00:36:55,410 --> 00:36:53,799
like California maybe other states as

1034
00:36:57,359 --> 00:36:55,420
well from from our experience on the

1035
00:36:59,190 --> 00:36:57,369
ground it just makes the most sense yeah

1036
00:37:05,579 --> 00:36:59,200
well certainly the federal government

1037
00:37:07,559 --> 00:37:05,589
can change the law and make it no longer

1038
00:37:08,819 --> 00:37:07,569
illegal from a federal standpoint and

1039
00:37:10,170 --> 00:37:08,829
then it would be up to the states each

1040
00:37:12,420 --> 00:37:10,180
state can make its own decision whether

1041
00:37:15,029 --> 00:37:12,430
or not to make it legal or illegal which

1042
00:37:16,109 --> 00:37:15,039
it seems to me this is exactly a type of

1043
00:37:17,279 --> 00:37:16,119
issue that should be left up to the

1044
00:37:19,079 --> 00:37:17,289
states whether or not you want to make

1045
00:37:20,640 --> 00:37:19,089
something like marijuana legal in your

1046
00:37:23,999 --> 00:37:20,650
state should be state by state just as

1047
00:37:26,989 --> 00:37:24,009
it's happening now but they they need to

1048
00:37:29,279 --> 00:37:26,999
change the federal law it seems to me

1049
00:37:30,599 --> 00:37:29,289
yeah I completely agree I think you're

1050
00:37:31,920 --> 00:37:30,609
hitting it on the head there and again

1051
00:37:33,809 --> 00:37:31,930
this is something that we got to look

1052
00:37:35,849 --> 00:37:33,819
from a unifying standpoint and something

1053
00:37:38,220 --> 00:37:35,859
I've really really pushed in face to

1054
00:37:39,720 --> 00:37:38,230
since retirement from operations is look

1055
00:37:41,489 --> 00:37:39,730
man let's just get unified on this issue

1056
00:37:43,380 --> 00:37:41,499
don't make it a left I'll make it a

1057
00:37:44,130 --> 00:37:43,390
right don't make the pro cannabis anti

1058
00:37:45,660 --> 00:37:44,140
cannabis issue

1059
00:37:47,819 --> 00:37:45,670
let's get unified what's going to

1060
00:37:49,289 --> 00:37:47,829
protect our public the best way keep our

1061
00:37:51,269 --> 00:37:49,299
citizens safe and protect our

1062
00:37:51,780 --> 00:37:51,279
environment in the process and along

1063
00:37:53,520 --> 00:37:51,790
those lines

1064
00:37:54,690 --> 00:37:53,530
make sure people aren't getting the weed

1065
00:37:56,700 --> 00:37:54,700
they're gonna consume whether it's

1066
00:37:59,010 --> 00:37:56,710
legitimate or black-market from being

1067
00:38:00,750 --> 00:37:59,020
poisoned by black-market weed that's

1068
00:38:02,820 --> 00:38:00,760
really potent and really affordable but

1069
00:38:04,740 --> 00:38:02,830
deadly when ingested I mean that just

1070
00:38:06,150 --> 00:38:04,750
that's one of those just baffling things

1071
00:38:07,410 --> 00:38:06,160
to me that we're not we're not putting

1072
00:38:09,300 --> 00:38:07,420
more attention to that needs to be

1073
00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:09,310
remedied and and I agree federal

1074
00:38:13,860 --> 00:38:10,690
attention is going to help expose that

1075
00:38:15,930 --> 00:38:13,870
and keep the issue on point tell us

1076
00:38:20,690 --> 00:38:15,940
before we wrap up a little bit of what

1077
00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:20,700
you learned on the border as far as

1078
00:38:28,370 --> 00:38:23,650
human trafficking the drug trafficking

1079
00:38:31,800 --> 00:38:28,380
the state of the cartels in Mexico today

1080
00:38:34,230 --> 00:38:31,810
etc yeah the interesting thing about the

1081
00:38:36,150 --> 00:38:34,240
border is there's not much there's not

1082
00:38:37,710 --> 00:38:36,160
much border there that hinders these

1083
00:38:39,630 --> 00:38:37,720
guys from getting across I was just down

1084
00:38:40,920 --> 00:38:39,640
there a couple weeks ago hosting a new

1085
00:38:44,100 --> 00:38:40,930
show we're doing called the thing Green

1086
00:38:46,050 --> 00:38:44,110
Line about conservation ethical hunting

1087
00:38:47,820 --> 00:38:46,060
and border issues as the cartel is

1088
00:38:50,220 --> 00:38:47,830
affected and coming across the border

1089
00:38:51,930 --> 00:38:50,230
for Oban all the crimes we discussed and

1090
00:38:53,670 --> 00:38:51,940
we have so much stretch of unprotected

1091
00:38:54,870 --> 00:38:53,680
border right now that doesn't have a

1092
00:38:56,670 --> 00:38:54,880
boundary doesn't have a fence doesn't

1093
00:38:58,890 --> 00:38:56,680
have a wall and has a very little Border

1094
00:39:00,510 --> 00:38:58,900
Patrol presence because it's so spread

1095
00:39:03,390 --> 00:39:00,520
out southwest Texas is an example

1096
00:39:04,650 --> 00:39:03,400
certain parts of Arizona and when I was

1097
00:39:06,990 --> 00:39:04,660
on that ranch which was just

1098
00:39:09,990 --> 00:39:07,000
mind-blowing to me this beautiful 50,000

1099
00:39:11,880 --> 00:39:10,000
acre ranch with tons of wildlife on it

1100
00:39:13,740 --> 00:39:11,890
tons of environmental purity there were

1101
00:39:16,170 --> 00:39:13,750
embedded cartel trafficking routes

1102
00:39:18,750 --> 00:39:16,180
hideout caves on the ranch trafficking

1103
00:39:20,010 --> 00:39:18,760
routes that some cartel traffickers were

1104
00:39:22,110 --> 00:39:20,020
being interdicted some we're getting

1105
00:39:23,460 --> 00:39:22,120
away and getting through from human

1106
00:39:25,980 --> 00:39:23,470
trafficking bringing up you know

1107
00:39:27,840 --> 00:39:25,990
hundred-pound bindles of tainted weed

1108
00:39:30,230 --> 00:39:27,850
that they produce across the border and

1109
00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:30,240
bring it across to you know basically

1110
00:39:34,710 --> 00:39:32,290
adjunct to what they're producing here

1111
00:39:36,060 --> 00:39:34,720
in California not hard for them to get

1112
00:39:37,590 --> 00:39:36,070
across and like I talked about in the

1113
00:39:39,870 --> 00:39:37,600
new book the information we got is

1114
00:39:42,420 --> 00:39:39,880
between four and seven thousand dollars

1115
00:39:44,280 --> 00:39:42,430
for any cartel organization to get there

1116
00:39:46,830 --> 00:39:44,290
tear wine growers or human traffickers

1117
00:39:48,750 --> 00:39:46,840
across the border without even a blip so

1118
00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:48,760
border control is certainly a hot topic

1119
00:39:53,010 --> 00:39:50,530
issue whatever we can do to slow down

1120
00:39:55,380 --> 00:39:53,020
especially the cartel element I mean

1121
00:39:57,480 --> 00:39:55,390
into America I am definitely a proponent

1122
00:39:59,340 --> 00:39:57,490
of and I think by the public the

1123
00:40:01,500 --> 00:39:59,350
American public knowing how easy it is

1124
00:40:03,060 --> 00:40:01,510
to get across right now for these guys I

1125
00:40:05,400 --> 00:40:03,070
think everybody would agree if they

1126
00:40:05,790 --> 00:40:05,410
start to see the facts down and cartels

1127
00:40:10,020 --> 00:40:05,800
are

1128
00:40:12,930 --> 00:40:10,030
more powerful in Mexico or less more

1129
00:40:14,940 --> 00:40:12,940
powerful without a doubt right now the

1130
00:40:17,370 --> 00:40:14,950
cartels in many parts of Mexico are

1131
00:40:19,800 --> 00:40:17,380
running Mexico you know to think that

1132
00:40:21,330 --> 00:40:19,810
there's government influence it just

1133
00:40:23,160 --> 00:40:21,340
isn't the case my good friend had called

1134
00:40:24,750 --> 00:40:23,170
arun goes in this all the time from his

1135
00:40:26,610 --> 00:40:24,760
experience down in mexico and what we're

1136
00:40:28,440 --> 00:40:26,620
seeing just over the border you look at

1137
00:40:30,030 --> 00:40:28,450
cities like juarez one of you know that

1138
00:40:32,010 --> 00:40:30,040
was recently named a couple years ago

1139
00:40:33,690 --> 00:40:32,020
the most dangerous city in America where

1140
00:40:35,550 --> 00:40:33,700
the cartels are freely having their Wars

1141
00:40:37,110 --> 00:40:35,560
and the police are just kind of stepping

1142
00:40:39,660 --> 00:40:37,120
back because they don't want to get

1143
00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:39,670
involved because getting so violent just

1144
00:40:43,020 --> 00:40:41,530
a couple weeks ago while filming that

1145
00:40:44,670 --> 00:40:43,030
show we were just on our site at the

1146
00:40:47,010 --> 00:40:44,680
border from Juarez and I was able to

1147
00:40:49,320 --> 00:40:47,020
talk a hundred yards from the wall

1148
00:40:51,030 --> 00:40:49,330
looking over into Juarez and see all the

1149
00:40:52,920 --> 00:40:51,040
crime going on in the police response to

1150
00:40:55,050 --> 00:40:52,930
the military response and it was truly

1151
00:40:57,780 --> 00:40:55,060
mind-blowing that was so close to our

1152
00:40:59,250 --> 00:40:57,790
border and knowing how freely they are

1153
00:41:02,100 --> 00:40:59,260
operating down there and running things

1154
00:41:03,960 --> 00:41:02,110
is is alarming yeah my Mexico City

1155
00:41:07,230 --> 00:41:03,970
friend says that this new president has

1156
00:41:09,540 --> 00:41:07,240
been pretty weak on enforcement that

1157
00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:09,550
he's kind of a kumbaya president that

1158
00:41:14,520 --> 00:41:10,810
says come on can't we all just get along

1159
00:41:16,920 --> 00:41:14,530
and he's reduced police enforcement's

1160
00:41:19,710 --> 00:41:16,930
and really allowed the cartels to run

1161
00:41:21,720 --> 00:41:19,720
wild now it's a hundred percent we're

1162
00:41:23,730 --> 00:41:21,730
seeing the same thing and the Intel I

1163
00:41:25,650 --> 00:41:23,740
get and my experiences down there and

1164
00:41:27,210 --> 00:41:25,660
the people I keep in contact with on the

1165
00:41:30,360 --> 00:41:27,220
border especially rather it be Border

1166
00:41:31,950 --> 00:41:30,370
Patrol BLM or other agents on the border

1167
00:41:33,390 --> 00:41:31,960
from Arizona all the way through Texas

1168
00:41:35,220 --> 00:41:33,400
in New Mexico are saying the same thing

1169
00:41:36,420 --> 00:41:35,230
and then to see it firsthand when we

1170
00:41:37,860 --> 00:41:36,430
were down there in some of the most

1171
00:41:39,900 --> 00:41:37,870
pristine border country I've ever been

1172
00:41:41,550 --> 00:41:39,910
in a couple weeks ago it was it was

1173
00:41:44,070 --> 00:41:41,560
really an eye-opener and definitely

1174
00:41:46,140 --> 00:41:44,080
needs to be addressed on that side of

1175
00:41:47,460 --> 00:41:46,150
the border which it's kind of outside of

1176
00:41:49,920 --> 00:41:47,470
our influence but it's something I think

1177
00:41:52,680 --> 00:41:49,930
we need to look at country of country in

1178
00:41:55,020 --> 00:41:52,690
the long term also anecdotally what I've

1179
00:41:56,490 --> 00:41:55,030
kind of learned is the strongest border

1180
00:41:58,970 --> 00:41:56,500
patrol that we have right now is

1181
00:42:03,890 --> 00:41:58,980
actually the cartels themselves because

1182
00:42:06,750 --> 00:42:03,900
hearing the story from my handyman who

1183
00:42:08,700 --> 00:42:06,760
had to come across the border he was

1184
00:42:11,040 --> 00:42:08,710
stopped multiple times not by Border

1185
00:42:13,110 --> 00:42:11,050
Patrol he was stopped by the cartels and

1186
00:42:14,370 --> 00:42:13,120
they were either telling him pay us a

1187
00:42:17,820 --> 00:42:14,380
bunch of money and we'll let you through

1188
00:42:19,740 --> 00:42:17,830
or uh-uh you ain't going this way with a

1189
00:42:21,990 --> 00:42:19,750
gun in his face basically you

1190
00:42:24,330 --> 00:42:22,000
that way and a trip that he had planned

1191
00:42:26,910 --> 00:42:24,340
out on Google Maps that would have taken

1192
00:42:29,460 --> 00:42:26,920
him a day and a half on you know to

1193
00:42:31,380 --> 00:42:29,470
cross the border it ended up to end up

1194
00:42:32,940 --> 00:42:31,390
taking him four days to cross the border

1195
00:42:34,950 --> 00:42:32,950
because there was a number of ways that

1196
00:42:38,100 --> 00:42:34,960
he was not permitted to go not by Border

1197
00:42:39,930 --> 00:42:38,110
Patrol but by the cartels of course yeah

1198
00:42:41,370 --> 00:42:39,940
it's not the first story I've heard I'm

1199
00:42:42,690 --> 00:42:41,380
glad your friend was okay cuz a lot of

1200
00:42:44,910 --> 00:42:42,700
guys that encounter that don't always

1201
00:42:47,190 --> 00:42:44,920
make it out to tell the story so I'm

1202
00:42:49,320 --> 00:42:47,200
glad he's safe but that is a testament

1203
00:42:51,450 --> 00:42:49,330
to what's going on down there I've seen

1204
00:42:53,370 --> 00:42:51,460
it when I've been in Mexico racing in

1205
00:42:55,800 --> 00:42:53,380
Baja we've been interdicted and checked

1206
00:42:57,270 --> 00:42:55,810
by some of those guys in the past it's

1207
00:42:58,890 --> 00:42:57,280
just it's just a crazy world it's a

1208
00:43:00,480 --> 00:42:58,900
whole different culture and it's a whole

1209
00:43:02,070 --> 00:43:00,490
different mindset that we're dealing

1210
00:43:03,300 --> 00:43:02,080
with down there and anyone traveling

1211
00:43:05,640 --> 00:43:03,310
down there needs to be aware of that and

1212
00:43:07,560 --> 00:43:05,650
be careful well it's been a depressing

1213
00:43:11,060 --> 00:43:07,570
day John I spent the previous part of

1214
00:43:13,620 --> 00:43:11,070
the day talking about coronavirus and

1215
00:43:16,560 --> 00:43:13,630
yeah I'm not sure which problem is worse

1216
00:43:19,650 --> 00:43:16,570
after talking to you because this sounds

1217
00:43:21,300 --> 00:43:19,660
pretty bad well brother I look at it

1218
00:43:23,610 --> 00:43:21,310
this way it's it's not it's not a happy

1219
00:43:25,590 --> 00:43:23,620
story but it's an important story and

1220
00:43:27,570 --> 00:43:25,600
you know there are positives because one

1221
00:43:29,310 --> 00:43:27,580
thing I've learned in retirement is as

1222
00:43:30,900 --> 00:43:29,320
much as pushing the rifle and being with

1223
00:43:32,430 --> 00:43:30,910
my team and fighting this head-on grow

1224
00:43:33,810 --> 00:43:32,440
after grow up or grow and trying to take

1225
00:43:36,510 --> 00:43:33,820
these guys out of circulation how

1226
00:43:37,830 --> 00:43:36,520
rewarding that is there's a lot more

1227
00:43:39,210 --> 00:43:37,840
power and getting the message out

1228
00:43:40,710 --> 00:43:39,220
because the people speak the pin is

1229
00:43:41,940 --> 00:43:40,720
truly mightier than the sword I think

1230
00:43:43,170 --> 00:43:41,950
that's what it's going to take to get

1231
00:43:46,320 --> 00:43:43,180
you know more federal administration

1232
00:43:49,050 --> 00:43:46,330
more funding and regulation discussion

1233
00:43:51,240 --> 00:43:49,060
on what we discussed to protect America

1234
00:43:52,920 --> 00:43:51,250
and protect Americans from this threat

1235
00:43:55,440 --> 00:43:52,930
rather we're talking about south of the

1236
00:43:57,000 --> 00:43:55,450
border infiltration or embedded and I

1237
00:43:58,680 --> 00:43:57,010
appreciate you and what gives me a

1238
00:44:01,650 --> 00:43:58,690
little bit of optimism in conversations

1239
00:44:03,090 --> 00:44:01,660
like this as as as sad as they may be is

1240
00:44:04,620 --> 00:44:03,100
we're getting a little bit of reach

1241
00:44:06,480 --> 00:44:04,630
through the work you guys are doing and

1242
00:44:08,010 --> 00:44:06,490
all we can do is keep it up and try to

1243
00:44:11,220 --> 00:44:08,020
do it I appreciate it yeah thank you

1244
00:44:12,630 --> 00:44:11,230
what about Doug wildfires is there based

1245
00:44:13,740 --> 00:44:12,640
on your experience as a game warden is

1246
00:44:16,590 --> 00:44:13,750
there something California should be

1247
00:44:18,870 --> 00:44:16,600
doing that it's not doing well one thing

1248
00:44:21,480 --> 00:44:18,880
I noticed in Montana where I'm now

1249
00:44:22,950 --> 00:44:21,490
located is we just had last summer and

1250
00:44:25,650 --> 00:44:22,960
I'll compare this to California that'll

1251
00:44:28,440 --> 00:44:25,660
make sense the last couple of summers in

1252
00:44:30,570 --> 00:44:28,450
Montana because we had no you know

1253
00:44:32,070 --> 00:44:30,580
select timber cutting and undergrowth

1254
00:44:33,599 --> 00:44:32,080
harvest for the sake of wildlife

1255
00:44:36,569 --> 00:44:33,609
movement all that's

1256
00:44:38,700 --> 00:44:36,579
all that force was just left unmanaged

1257
00:44:40,859 --> 00:44:38,710
for the better part of 20 years the last

1258
00:44:42,660 --> 00:44:40,869
couple administrations and there was so

1259
00:44:44,789 --> 00:44:42,670
much undergrowth and so much dry timber

1260
00:44:46,319 --> 00:44:44,799
and so little breathing room that it was

1261
00:44:47,849 --> 00:44:46,329
basically a powder keg waiting to go off

1262
00:44:49,710 --> 00:44:47,859
then we had a series of lightning

1263
00:44:52,140 --> 00:44:49,720
strikes that pretty much had all in

1264
00:44:54,059 --> 00:44:52,150
northwestern Montana in like 11 massive

1265
00:44:56,729 --> 00:44:54,069
forest fires that lasted an entire

1266
00:44:58,170 --> 00:44:56,739
summer structures were destroyed we had

1267
00:45:00,660 --> 00:44:58,180
this with the Paradise California fire

1268
00:45:02,940 --> 00:45:00,670
recently we had so many structures so

1269
00:45:05,190 --> 00:45:02,950
many towns impacted where if a little

1270
00:45:07,769 --> 00:45:05,200
bit of select timber harvest without

1271
00:45:09,809 --> 00:45:07,779
destroying the forest was opened up the

1272
00:45:12,120 --> 00:45:09,819
only benefit habitat for well life it

1273
00:45:14,249 --> 00:45:12,130
would also slow down that forest fire is

1274
00:45:16,319 --> 00:45:14,259
you know that problem under a perfect

1275
00:45:18,359 --> 00:45:16,329
storm and California needs to look at

1276
00:45:20,130 --> 00:45:18,369
that in certain areas as well now

1277
00:45:21,569 --> 00:45:20,140
they're saying we've got position we can

1278
00:45:23,039 --> 00:45:21,579
balance it a little bit it's good we've

1279
00:45:26,039 --> 00:45:23,049
got lots of protected areas you're

1280
00:45:29,160 --> 00:45:26,049
saying and some of those protected areas

1281
00:45:32,309 --> 00:45:29,170
it's time to perhaps allow some of the

1282
00:45:33,900 --> 00:45:32,319
lumber industry in a little bit and you

1283
00:45:35,999 --> 00:45:33,910
can do it in such a way that is

1284
00:45:37,650 --> 00:45:36,009
ecologically conscious but it's also

1285
00:45:39,479 --> 00:45:37,660
fire prevention and it's also good for

1286
00:45:41,489 --> 00:45:39,489
wildlife it's moderation we don't want

1287
00:45:42,930 --> 00:45:41,499
to we don't want to clear-cut anything

1288
00:45:44,700 --> 00:45:42,940
anymore we don't want to strip the

1289
00:45:46,680 --> 00:45:44,710
forests of all the timber out there ie

1290
00:45:49,079 --> 00:45:46,690
like the rain forest destruction we see

1291
00:45:51,180 --> 00:45:49,089
in other parts of the world but it

1292
00:45:52,769 --> 00:45:51,190
really does transcend and do safer for

1293
00:45:54,779 --> 00:45:52,779
the public and for wildlife from fire

1294
00:45:56,519 --> 00:45:54,789
fire damage fire prevention and things

1295
00:45:58,920 --> 00:45:56,529
along those lines thank you again to

1296
00:46:00,599 --> 00:45:58,930
John Norris for coming on the hidden

1297
00:46:04,349 --> 00:46:00,609
truth show you can check out his book

1298
00:46:07,620 --> 00:46:04,359
hidden war on Amazon that's hidden War

1299
00:46:10,319 --> 00:46:07,630
John Norris and ores hidden war on

1300
00:46:12,960 --> 00:46:10,329
Amazon thank you to our producer Michael

1301
00:46:14,819 --> 00:46:12,970
Parker and we'll be back with a special

1302
00:46:18,059 --> 00:46:14,829
episode a second episode this week on

1303
00:46:20,809 --> 00:46:18,069
Friday so check your phones for a new

1304
00:46:24,520 --> 00:46:20,819
hidden truth episode coming this Friday

1305
00:46:29,089 --> 00:46:26,390
thank you for listening at the hidden

1306
00:46:32,480 --> 00:46:29,099
trade show with Jim Breslow you can find

1307
00:46:35,480 --> 00:46:32,490
us at hidden truths show com follow us

1308
00:46:37,730 --> 00:46:35,490
on Facebook Twitter and Instagram and he

1309
00:46:40,220 --> 00:46:37,740
in the truth show join us again next

1310
00:46:42,760 --> 00:46:40,230
week for another episode of heaven trade