Inside Cartel Operations in Arizona with Former SWAT Commander Matthew Thomas

Change Agents with Andy Stumpf

IRONCLAD

Society & Culture

4.9 • 648 Ratings

🗓️ 11 March 2026

⏱️ 64 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On this episode of Change Agents, Andy Stumpf talks with Matthew Thomas about cartel operations in Arizona, how cartels recruit members in the U.S., the brutality of cartel operations and more. Matthew Thomas is a retired Chief Deputy at the Pinal County Sheriff's Office in Arizona, where he led the regional SWAT team for 18 years. He frequently went undercover during anti-cartel operations. He is the author of “Interceptors: The Untold Fight Against the Mexican Cartels.” Chapters: (01:29) The Operation to Take Out El Mencho (06:37) Pinal County’s Role in the Cartel Wars (12:02) The State of Border Security (16:43) Tunnel Systems Run by Cartels (22:38) Going Undercover to Fight Cartels (32:37) U.S. Citizens Working for Cartels (36:06) Sicario vs. Rip Team Battles (47:41) Cartel Members Getting Military Training (52:06) Cartel Human Trafficking Operations Sponsors: Firecracker Farm Use code IRONCLAD to get 15% off your first order at https://firecracker.farm/ GHOSTBED: Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide. Norwood Sawmills: Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	What I've dedicated my life to is revenge.
0:04.0	A brand new drama based on the best-selling novel.
0:07.0	They think they're better than us.
0:08.0	Who do you think you are?
0:10.0	I'm going to prove to them that they're wrong.
0:11.0	She's punishing me.
0:13.0	You destroyed my family.
0:14.0	I will not rest until I've destroyed yours.
0:17.0	A woman of substance on Channel 4 starts tonight at 9. We follow rules and they don't.
0:23.6	That gives them somewhat of an advantage tactically, right?
0:26.6	Because if I need equipment to go after the cartel,
0:29.6	I have to go through a procurement process
0:31.6	and I have to make sure the budget's there and, you know, all these things
0:34.6	and they don't.
0:35.6	They don't have to follow those rules ladies and gentlemen welcome back to change agents an iron cloud original presented by
0:49.0	our friends at firecracker farm today's, going undercover to hunt cartels.
0:55.0	And my guest for today is Matthew Thomas, the retired chief deputy at the Penal County Sheriff's
1:00.0	Office in Arizona, where he led the regional SWAT team for 18 years.
1:04.0	Matthew frequently won undercover during anti-cartel operations, and he is the author of
1:08.0	interceptors, the untold fight against the Mexican
1:11.0	cartel.
1:11.9	It's also a graduate of the FBI's National Academy, Session 261.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

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

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