Narco Warriors Podcast: How the War on Drugs Became a Global Security Mission
A newly launched investigative podcast, Narco Warriors, is reigniting debate around one of the most controversial and consequential campaigns of the modern era: the global war on drugs. What began decades ago as a law-enforcement initiative has, according to the series, quietly transformed into a full-scale national security operation with worldwide implications.
Hosted by veteran journalist Lindsay Charlton, Narco Warriors offers a deep, narrative-driven exploration of how drug enforcement became intertwined with intelligence services, military operations, and international security policy—particularly under the strategic leadership of the United States.
Launching today on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major audio platforms, the podcast arrives at a moment when governments worldwide are reassessing decades of drug policy, border security, and international cooperation.
Narco Warriors podcast artwork exploring the history of the global war on drugs and national security operations
From Street Policing to Strategic Warfare: The Roots of the Drugs War
The global war on drugs is often discussed in abstract terms—policy papers, arrest statistics, and political speeches. Narco Warriors takes a different approach.
Instead of focusing on governments and headlines, the podcast places listeners alongside the people who lived the transformation from the inside.
A Campaign Born in the 1970s
The series traces the origins of the modern drugs war back to the 1970s, when narcotics enforcement was primarily the responsibility of police and customs agencies. At the time, the goal was simple in theory:
Disrupt drug trafficking networks
Reduce domestic drug consumption
Prosecute major criminal organizations
What followed, however, was anything but simple.
As global drug markets expanded and traffickers grew more sophisticated, enforcement agencies increasingly relied on international cooperation, intelligence sharing, and eventually military-style operations.
Firsthand Accounts From the Front Lines of Drug Enforcement
At the heart of Narco Warriors are first-person testimonies from individuals who operated at the highest levels of international narcotics enforcement.
Inside the Work of Drug Liaison Officers
Two central voices in the series are Philip Matthews and Graham Honey, both former senior Drug Liaison Officers with British Customs and Excise. Across multiple episodes, they recount decades spent tracking major traffickers across continents.
Their careers placed them in direct contact with:
Foreign law-enforcement agencies
Intelligence operatives
Military units and special forces
Political decision-makers shaping drug policy
Through their stories, listeners gain rare insight into how cooperation between agencies evolved—from informal partnerships to highly structured multinational operations.
How Drug Enforcement Became a National Security Priority
One of the podcast’s central arguments is that drug trafficking gradually came to be viewed not just as a criminal issue, but as a strategic threat to national and international security.
The U.S. as the Operational Center
Narco Warriors frames the United States as a driving force behind this shift. As drug routes expanded through Latin America, Africa, and Asia, Washington increasingly classified narcotics trafficking as:
A threat to political stability
A funding source for insurgent groups
A challenge to border integrity and sovereignty
This reframing justified the use of military assets, intelligence agencies, and special operations forces—blurring the line between policing and warfare.
Beyond Arrests: The Rise of Militarized Drug Policy
The podcast does not shy away from the more controversial dimensions of the drugs war.
Escalation of Force at Sea and on Land
Episodes examine how policy changes allowed for increasingly aggressive tactics, including:
Armed interdictions of suspected smuggling vessels
Joint naval patrols and aerial surveillance
Covert operations in foreign jurisdictions
Former officers explain how rules of engagement shifted over time, raising ethical and legal questions that continue to resonate today.
Global Voices, Local Consequences
While many accounts focus on U.S. and UK operations, Narco Warriors broadens its scope by incorporating international perspectives.
A Story Told Across Continents
The podcast features voices from former contacts, allies, and observers based in:
Latin America
The Caribbean
Southeast Asia
Europe and Africa
These testimonies illustrate how drug enforcement policies developed in Western capitals often produced unintended consequences on the ground—reshaping economies, politics, and security landscapes far beyond their original intent.
Human Stories Behind a Global Campaign
What distinguishes Narco Warriors from conventional crime reporting is its attention to human experience.
Listeners hear not just about operations, but about:
Moral dilemmas faced by officers
The psychological toll of long-term undercover work
Moments where policy and reality collided
Charlton’s narrative style allows these accounts to unfold without sensationalism, letting listeners draw their own conclusions about the costs and consequences of the drugs war.
A Reassessment at a Critical Moment
The launch of Narco Warriors coincides with renewed global debate around drug policy reform.
Governments are increasingly questioning:
The effectiveness of prohibition-focused strategies
The humanitarian impact of militarized enforcement
Whether decades of intervention achieved their stated goals
By revisiting the past through firsthand testimony, the podcast provides valuable context for these discussions.
Why Narco Warriors Matters Now
In an era of geopolitical instability, border disputes, and transnational crime, the lessons explored in Narco Warriors feel especially timely.
The series suggests that the war on drugs did more than target traffickers—it reshaped how nations cooperate, how security threats are defined, and how force is justified beyond traditional battlefields.
Where to Listen
Narco Warriors is available starting 2 February 2026 on:
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
All major podcast platforms
New episodes will be released regularly.
Key Takeaways
Narco Warriors reexamines the global war on drugs through firsthand accounts
The podcast traces how law enforcement evolved into a national security mission
Former senior officers share rare insights into international cooperation
The series explores ethical, political, and geopolitical consequences
Available now on all major podcast platforms
Final Thoughts
By centering the voices of those who lived the transformation firsthand, Narco Warriors challenges listeners to reconsider a campaign that has shaped global security policy for more than half a century.
It is not just a history of drugs enforcement—it is a story about power, policy, and the unintended consequences of turning crime control into a matter of national defense.
