Watch Drug Lords: The Next Generation

Drug Lords: The Next Generation is a documentary series by National Geographic that explores the new generation of drug lords that have taken over the global drug trade in recent years. The series features interviews with law enforcement officials, drug enforcement agents, journalists, and former drug lords themselves, who provide a detailed and extremely chilling portrait of this new breed of drug kingpins.

Hosted by investigative journalist Jeremy McDermott, Drug Lords: The Next Generation takes viewers on a journey across the world to expose the inner workings and staggering breadth of the drug trade. From South America to Africa and Europe to the United States, McDermott and his team delve deep into the drug trafficking networks that have become increasingly sophisticated and complex over the years.

The show features gripping, up-close interviews with key players in the drug trade who reveal the inner workings of their organizations, highlighting the main techniques and methods employed to keep their illicit activities under the radar of the authorities. Through their testimonies, we learn about the tactics used to launder money, bribe officials, and carry out violent attacks against rival gangs. The insights provided by these drug lords are often surprising and always terrifying, giving viewers a glimpse into the dark underworld that controls much of the world's illegal activities.

Adding to the series' impact are the historical and geopolitical context provided by the show's experts. Drug Lords: The Next Generation contextualizes the rise of these new drug lords to particularly violent crises in the countries they operate in, such as Venezuela, where the collapse of the economy has created a power vacuum that criminal organizations have filled. The series also explores the relationship between Europe and Africa, examining how drug trafficking has facilitated a new wave of economic exploitation and extraction between the two continents.

One of the most interesting aspects of Drug Lords: The Next Generation is how it dispels the myths surrounding drug lords, particularly the fantasy that they are simply charismatic renegades who challenge the status quo. The show reveals them instead to be ruthless, opportunistic individuals willing to go to any extreme to protect their power, with no regard for human life or the collateral damage their operations cause.

Throughout the series, McDermott approaches the subject matter with a steady hand, avoiding sensationalism and moralizing as he explores the gritty realities of the drug trade. With each episode, viewers gain a deeper understanding of the political, economic, and social factors that make it possible for the drug lords to thrive.

Drug Lords: The Next Generation is an informative and engaging series that provides viewers with a wealth of knowledge about one of the world's most pressing issues. By showing the complexity of the drug trade and the central role that these new drug lords play in it, the series invites a deeper conversation about how best to address the problem of drug trafficking and the violence it creates. Viewers will be left with the unsettling realization that drug lords are not simply outliers, but an integral part of a global system that perpetuates injustice and exploitation on a massive scale.

Drug Lords: The Next Generation is a series that ran for 1 seasons (6 episodes) between April 29, 2020 and on National Geographic