User reviews

If it is all legitimate footage then it is very impressive journalism

Mariana delves into the illegal world with us by her side. She puts her life in danger to expose this world. For all those reviews saying it's fake because no one wants their nasty business exposed needs to think again. Theres always a braggadocio who is more than willing to talk for 15 minutes of fame.plus they hide faces. Maybe watch the show before you review without just reading a review then basing yours on it.

Mariana Van Zeller along with her team puts together an incredible journey through topics covered in each wildly dangerous episode. She is a real journalist exuding more testicular fortitude than any other journalist I've seen. Her interviews with some very dangerous people along with the topics she asks some difficult questions in some very difficult and dangerous situations. Each episode you leave with a better understanding of both sides as she remains neutral while digging for answers where many journalists would leave well enough alone. The most recent episode I just watched about the Amazon Mafia was a real eye opener leaving me with a better understanding for the illegal miners, the corrupt political elites and the worlds largest Fortune 500 companies that benefit from destroying the Amazon.

Ms van Zeller has some guts. She provides insights & footage of incredibly dangerous people & situations. Incredibly informative (though steroid episode was worthless exposure for narcissistic vermin.) She is grade A journalist.

How many times does Maria tell viewers this without addressing the question: WHY does one dangerous criminal after another agree to meet with her if doing so is so dangerous? Such an obvious question left unaddressed raises questions as to the authenticity of the show?

First of all, the way she talks to people and gets information is awesome but she has a very entertaining personality, I really like her. The topics she goes over are always entertaining yet take you by surprise. She is extremely good at what she does for a living. Real documentary style she uses makes you think about the different sides of peoples lives (the good and the criminal) and why they do what they do. Truly, keeps you interested with the topics, I would recommend this show to people who like drugs inc and locked up abroad as well. I hope that in the future, I can see more of her fantastic work!! Well done 10/10!!

Excellent series. Talk about a reality check!

This is an education everyone should understand.

Would like to know more about the behind the scenes logistics too.

It takes guts to do what this woman does. Watch for yourself. Fascinating to see a culture celebrating their success at scamming the elderly of america. It's a way of life with huge payoffs. In america, elderly people often are lonely and the scammers find them easy targets with big returns from the trusting elderly americans. This lady is putting herself in very sketchy situations to bring these stories. Looking forward to more.

Give it a watch, seriously.

I agree with some other reviewers that the voice over gets a bit dramatic, there are certain storyline that could have gone deeper or a more interesting route, and definitely kept asking myself "why do these people agree to talk to her though?" Buuuuutt...I still found it extremely entertaining. I'd say I watch more documentaries than the average person and yes, there was some information that has been delivered before, however, the style helps engage the target audience that maybe hasn't explored documentaries. I got my husband and several friends to watch as well.

This is the most profound show I've seen in a long time. Marianna has some real gusto. There are some uncomfortable truths we need to face in this world today. Marianna does an amazing job of presenting some of those truths in this show. She also asks the most important questions for all parties concerned. If we had a dozen more Marianna's in this world, it would be a much different place. I highly recommend watching this series in it's entirety. Please bear the episodes that hit home. Please be open to hearing more uncomfortable truths than you could possible believe are even real concerns for anybody.

The episode detailing the scamming "business" in Jamaica and Israel was informative and very well done up until Ms. Van Zeller decided to inject some misguided social justice propaganda into the episode. After completing her investigation into the Israeli investment scammers, she abruptly switched back to the Jamaican scammers and led them to justify their illegal behavior by citing reparations for their years of slavery. What she failed to mention is that the slavery in Jamaica was controlled by the British colonists not Americans.

I only made through 15 minutes of the fentanyl episode before I shut it off. There is no way that Sinaloa cartel members would allow some nosy American "reporter" to film them doing anything much less showing where/how they get their chemicals. I like a good documentary as much as the next guy but don't lie to me and try to pass off some hammed up garbage as real. I mean she's supposed to driving around snooping in a dangerous country with cameras all over her car to capture footage of her wheels turning, drones flying in the air to show her driving down roads to meet confidential contacts, and a full crew of sound and video operators in tow capturing every second of it. If it's dramatized the tell us it's dramatized.

While I do enjoy some of the episodes and find the show interesting enough to watch once a week, it's still a bit much of the annoying stuff that leave me feeling a little bit disappointed.

There is far too much focus on: 1 Drama. It feels very much like the drama is forced, and that gives a feeling that even the producers don't have enough faith in the storylines to hold us interested.

2 Mariana Van Zeller. While she is a good journalist and I do like her, it feels like we're getting a bit much of her. I want more real content instead of her reactions to situations.

We get her reactions before, after, and midways. A 5 minute part can consist of 3 minutes with Mariana's reactions.

3 the topics aren't anything newsworthy. Most of it has been talked about and filmed many times. It's just rebranding basically.

I would like to see some episodes with more obscure characters and concepts. There's no need to focus only on "huge" things. An episode in the life of a drug dealer out of nowhere in Sweden, or the Netherlands for example. An episode of such that doesn't try to be so highly dramatic, but rather focuses on real people in normal places - doing things most people don't know much about. I'd like to see her digging deeper into things that aren't necessarily as extreme and always about the baddest of the and worst of the worst.

If you enjoy watching stuff about the underworld, then you might enjoy this series. Mariana is good at what she does, and it's cool to see her work, but the show doesn't really show us too much stuff we didn't already know(if you're a crime-oholic at least). :)

I would give it 6 of 10 score.

This is a load of bull**it.

All the scenes and conversations are so contrived, and it's all shot with obvious camera tricks to try and make it seem 'dangerous' and stealth.

The script over exaggerates the host's bravery, but when you actually break this all down, anyone can make this, and create the fake scenes and characters.

If you believe this, then you are exactly who this show is targeting. And you're likely an idiot.

Fake garbage.

It's should be called reality show not a documentary,because everything is made with actors and scripts.

There is no way that some National Geo reporter have connections or ability to get in contact with mexican drug lords,and they would never discuss stuff about operation or they want to be filmed even with masks. Complete crew together with Mariana would be shot or slaughtered like pigs if they ever come close to this,this are narcos not some american circus where you can film whatever you want.

I cant think any reason why would narcos allow filming,money?,they have it in tons,exposure?,something that dont need,fame?,they are more famouse then american celebrities so...complete series is just made up,period.

Very lightweight stuff and seems to be more about the self promotion of Mariana and her "bravery". Every episode runs along similar format. Lots of close ups, hidden faces, absurd camera angles to build up lots atmosphere. She gets inside access to cartel/counterfieter/scammer/gun runner/sicaro etc but it usually falls down or they dont show then just as she is about to give up, she finds another insider. Fears for her safety, lots of very worried expressions, a threat or two, quickly leave area, then comeback to get right inside organisation. Her contact then tells her his star sign, fave colour, his 750 kills, 10 billion dollar profit etc etc every little secret . Just seems so fake and scripted to a particular audience. Yeah, nah. About the only truth is that if you want to sell drugs/scams/exotic animals/counterfeit money/steroids then you will always have the good old American to fleece.

1st episode details the phone scamming in Jamaica and Israel and calling up people to tell them they've won a lottery and need the deposit to release the funds. One guy who is interviewed claims to have made 300k in a day and 170MM but uses a $15k boat wearing a timex watch to give his interview. Hmmmm.

This scam has been around for over 20 years and first came out when email was first invented. Vulnerable old people are most at risk and this has been widely known for years but continues to happen.

The 2nd episode has our interviewer trying to follow a drug shipment, which of course is nearly impossible. Lots of shaky camera syndrome to build tension and she's overly naive. Yeah, the drug dealers are going to let you open and test their drugs, lol. And I'm pretty sure the drug cartel is not going to let you piggyback their 400k drug packed courier through the border.

I watched Season 4, Eps 8 Illegal Gambling with Mikki Mase, and he tells her a few stories about the money he's won and working on Wall Street. Perhaps if you call yourself a journalist Mariana you could do a little bit of verifying facts for us. I was hoping for just one, but nope. Even the cameras were banned from inside a house with gambling so we get no footage.

Absolutely junk. How can you make an episode with zero footage of actual events taking place ???? WTF?!?!?! Horrendous.

This show is full of so many fake scenes it's sickening. Don't waste your time unless you love camera zooming in and out of nothing during intense scenes that never show you what they're talking so tenderly about. Absolute garbage with fake criminals.

Regarding the recent TV programme Trafficked : Guns, follows the trail of guns from the US to Mexico, a mention of the AR 15 being most used in mass killings in America, this is an outright LIE, a check on mass shootings will reveal, Handguns as the No 1 choice of weapon, followed by a semi automatic hunting rifle, the AR 15 is far down the list of preferred weapons, unless you follow the Liberal gun control agenda and I expected National Geographic to at least CHECK it's facts before they are used in the show, DISGRACEFUL.

Regards

Michael Tighe

An outraged ex Geographic viewer

How in the heck is she able to dive right into these industries and publish these stories!? There is no way the Cartel would allow such documentation and information to be revealed!

Why would anyone reveal their ways of illegal dealings for the public/police to see? Such rubbish.

Another fake show by NATGEO. Just like Drugs, Inc., everyone is aching to discuss multi-million dollar illicit operations to a reporter. Riiiiight. Unless you have lived it, I inderstand how pne could belive this crap.

She doesn't have the stones to do an investigation into Antifa or Black Lives Matter. Or how about investigating the Federal officers who were really the instigators to Jan. 6. Better yet, how about an investigation into Hunter Biden?