How An American Pot Smuggler Became Top Lieutenant For The Sinaloa Cartel: Former Kingpin Speaks

The Connect- with Johnny Mitchell

Johnny Mitchell

True Crime

4.3 • 563 Ratings

🗓️ 10 August 2025

⏱️ 122 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

How does a small-time American weed dealer end up working side-by-side with one of the most powerful drug cartels in the world? In this gripping interview, we dive deep into the true story of Jon Mullins, an American who went from hustling marijuana in the U.S. to becoming a trusted lieutenant for the notorious Sinaloa Cartel. He shares raw, first-hand accounts of drug smuggling operations, life inside the cartel, run-ins with law enforcement, and the high-stakes world of cross-border trafficking. From near-death experiences to life behind bars, nothing is held back. Hit up Jon if you need solar in the Tucson, AZ area! https://www.facebook.com/people/JM-Solar-Energy-Efficient-Home-Solutions/61553962503275/ This Episode Is #Sponsored By DeleteMe! Remove your personal information from the web at https://JoinDeleteMe.com/CONNECT and use code CONNECT for 20% off DeleteMe international Plans: https://international.joindeleteme.com Join The Patreon For Bonus Content! https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow 00:00 Cartel Violence & Interview Intro 01:22 Early Life in Ohio & High School Hustles 02:55 Steroid Smuggling Beginnings 03:51 How the Steroid Trade Worked 06:06 Getting Steroids Over the Border 07:31 Scaling Up: European Mafia Connections 10:45 Steroid Importing Logistics & Risk 13:33 Running a Car Lot & Hiding Profits 15:38 The Weed Game Takes Off 19:33 Drug Smuggling Logistics and Risks 25:03 Finding New Connects in Mexico 27:08 Cross-Border Operations & Logistics 32:22 Today's Sponsor 34:44 Working with the Cartels: Chapo Era 37:58 How Smuggling Operations Expanded 41:53 Checkpoint Runs & Hiding Methods 46:33 Managing Crews, Logistics & Losses 50:01 Growing Risks: Jackers & Internal Threats 54:12 Cartel Politics and Local Mafias 56:29 The Drug Business as War & Business 01:00:28 Operation Expansion & Escalation 01:05:12 The Fight Between Cartel Factions 01:12:04 Navigating Cartel Wars in Nogales 01:18:25 Surviving Mexico's Cartel Chaos 01:26:12 Retirement & Decline of the Old Market 01:33:44 Getting Busted: Arrests, Identity Switches & Court 01:37:32 Doing Time: Prison Life & Cartel Fallout 01:41:11 Rebuilding Life: Release & Legit Businesses 01:47:48 Life After Prison & Lessons Learned 01:53:32 State of Mexico & Reflections Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	What I've dedicated my life to is revenge.
0:04.7	A brand new drama based on the best-selling novel.
0:07.5	They think they're better than us.
0:08.5	Who do you think you are?
0:09.7	I'm going to prove to them that they're wrong.
0:11.5	She's punishing me.
0:13.0	You destroyed my family.
0:14.3	I will not rest until I've destroyed yours.
0:17.0	A woman of substance on Channel 4 starts tonight at 9.
0:19.9	It all culminated one night in my neighborhood.
0:22.9	The Chapos hit eight houses where Beltran people were.
0:26.1	They filled a whole pickup truck full of bodies.
0:28.6	They were cutting people's heads off, rolling them down the street.
0:31.6	It sounded like a war zone.
0:32.9	John Mullins is a former marijuana trafficker who worked as head of logistics for the
0:37.2	Sinaloa
0:37.6	cartel in Nogales, Mexico. He began in the early 90s smuggling steroids from Mexico back to his
0:43.8	hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. And by the mid-2010s, at his height, he was moving thousands of pounds
0:49.2	of Mexican bud every day to cities across America. He actually lived in Mexico, in Nogales, at a time when the Sinaloa cartel had that plaza
0:58.0	divided between the Chapo and the Mayo factions.
1:00.9	And when it came to pot, he was their number one gringo.
1:04.0	John gives us exclusive insider insight into Mexican cartel politics and explains how
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Johnny Mitchell, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Johnny Mitchell and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.