[engine revving]
[suspenseful music]
MARIANA VAN ZELLER: In my quest to expose how American guns are
trafficked throughout Mexico, I never expected
to be headed out to sea.
But as we move deeper into the waters,
these smugglers break down their operation.
The Sea of Cortez is over 700 miles long
but less than 100 miles wide.
That means these smugglers can make the crossing in less
than three hours, completely bypassing
the military checkpoints set up along Mexico's highways.
Right now, they say they're delivering
more and more guns to Sonora directly across the sea.
That's the same heavily contested
territory that Hector in Mexicali
is also sending guns to.
I think we're-- that's it.
I think we're going to that beach over there.
Oh, there were some guys there.
There are some guys actually waiting at the beach.
Or at least one guy that I see now.
And he's coming to greet the boat.
He's all dressed in black with a mask, as well.
Yeah, they're anchoring right there so this is it.
I'm told the man in black is another buyer from Sonora.
[suspenseful music]
Hola.
CARTEL MEMBER: [speaking spanish]
MARIANA VAN ZELLER: [speaking spanish]
CARTEL MEMBER: [speaking spanish]
MARIANA VAN ZELLER: [speaking spanish]
CARTEL MEMBER: [speaking spanish]
MARIANA VAN ZELLER: [speaking spanish]
CARTEL MEMBER: [speaking spanish]
MARIANA VAN ZELLER: [speaking spanish]
CARTEL MEMBER: [speaking spanish]
MARIANA VAN ZELLER: [speaking spanish]
CARTEL MEMBER: [speaking spanish]
MARIANA VAN ZELLER: A month.
[speaking spanish]
CARTEL MEMBER: [speaking spanish]
MARIANA VAN ZELLER: [speaking spanish]
CARTEL MEMBER: [speaking spanish]
MARIANA VAN ZELLER: 50 calibers, RPGs.
[speaking spanish]
CARTEL MEMBER: [speaking spanish]
MARIANA VAN ZELLER: None of this sounds like arming
a criminal organization.
They're arming for war.
[speaking spanish]
CARTEL MEMBER: [speaking spanish]
[upbeat music]
MARIANA VAN ZELLER: I'm told the buyer is
from an affiliated cartel fighting
to regain territory in Sonora.
He's picking up a fresh order, including a pair of customized
handguns for rich narcos who don't just want a weapon,
they want to make a statement.
Sales like this are common for these smugglers.
The market for American assault rifles is exploding.
CARTEL MEMBER: [speaking spanish]
MARIANA VAN ZELLER: [speaking spanish]
CARTEL MEMBER: [speaking spanish]
MARIANA VAN ZELLER: [bleep] So they had 200 AK-47s
[speaking spanish] which is what they call them here,
come through here, San Felipe, in just one day last week.
[speaking spanish]
CARTEL MEMBER: [speaking spanish]
MARIANA VAN ZELLER: Here's where things get interesting.
Remember when I said that you never ask
what cartel someone belongs to?
I didn't.
This guy just decided to tell me that he works for one
of the fastest growing mafias in Mexico, the Jalisco
Cartel, also known as CJNG.
MAN: [speaking spanish]
MARIANA VAN ZELLER: The organization is only about 10
years old, but aggressive maneuvers
and terrifying ISIS-style executions
have helped them dominate underworld
markets across Mexico, becoming the Sinaloa
Cartel's biggest rival.
And the kingpin of these violent upstarts,
perhaps the most dangerous drug lord in the world,
is known as El Mencho.
CARTEL MEMBER: [speaking spanish]
MARIANA VAN ZELLER: [speaking spanish]
CARTEL MEMBER: [speaking spanish]
MARIANA VAN ZELLER: [speaking spanish]
CARTEL MEMBER: [speaking spanish]