How A Mexican Narco Dynasty Built A U.S. Drug Empire

Martin Munoz up in Anaheim, just minutes from Disneyland—but behind the scenes, his family was connected to a completely different world.

In this episode, Martin tells the story of growing up around a family involved in high-level drug trafficking between Mexico and Southern California. He describes an uncle who operated at a major level before mysteriously disappearing in Tijuana, a father who went on to become a major meth and cocaine distributor, and how he eventually found himself stepping into the same business.

After his father was arrested, he says his dad’s right-hand man was told: “Go grab my son and let him run with you.”

From there, the operation grew fast.

Martin eventually found himself receiving as much as 100 kilos of cocaine a week, handling massive amounts of cash, meeting his father’s network of customers, and running stash locations throughout Orange County.

He talks about:

• Growing up around narcos, gang members, money, and violence in Anaheim

• His uncle’s rise—and mysterious disappearance in Mexico

• How his father built his own trafficking network

• Getting introduced to the business as a teenager

• His father’s arrest and the moment he was brought into the operation

• Receiving 100 kilos of cocaine per week

• Counting and collecting millions of dollars

• The surveillance operation that eventually brought the feds to his door

• His federal prison sentence and why he finally walked away from the life

This is the story of a kid who grew up wanting to become a narco, eventually entered his family’s world, and learned firsthand where that life leads.

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0:00 Meet Martin Muñiz: Inside a Narco Family Dynasty

2:05 Growing Up Around Anaheim Gangs and Cartel Money

12:05 His Uncle's Meth and Ephedrine Empire

18:54 How the Family Came from Mexico to California

26:54 This Episode Is Sponsored By PrizePicks

28:03 His Uncle's Cartel and International Smuggling Routes

36:29 The Mysterious Disappearance of His Uncle

42:41 Living Between Street Gangs and Drug Kingpins

48:32 How His Father Rebuilt the Family Business

59:10 This Episode Is Sponsored By Hims

1:00:29 Corruption and Smuggling at the U.S.–Mexico Border

1:07:05 Entering the Drug Game at 18

1:14:00 From Small Deals to Moving Pounds of Meth

1:22:22 Getting Access to His Father's Supply

1:26:18 This Episode Is Sponsored By GLD

1:27:39 His First Big Deal With His Dad

1:39:50 His Father Gets Arrested

1:50:15 Taking Over the Family's Drug Network

1:58:18 His Dad Flees to Mexico and the Business Expands

2:05:04 Stashing and Distributing 100 Kilos of Cocaine

2:12:48 The Dream of Becoming a Kingpin in Mexico

2:23:31 The First Sting and Police Raid

2:31:13 Managing Millions and Tracking Missing Loads

2:40:39 Stolen Drugs, Enforcers, and Cartel Violence

2:49:52 The Hawaiian Distributor Who Became an Informant

2:55:13 Realizing Federal Agents Were Following Him

3:03:56 Why His Father Turned Down El Mayo Zambada

3:12:16 The Plot to Kill Martin

3:18:38 Finding a Tracking Device on His Car

3:26:33 The DEA Arrest and Raids

3:31:30 How the Informant Built a Federal Case

3:42:43 Facing 12 Years in Federal Prison

3:54:15 How His Father Retired from Drug Trafficking

4:03:25 Life After Prison: Rap and the Music Business

4:11:00 Regrets, His Children, and His Father in Mexico

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