Cartel Land
From Nine to Noon 18 June 2015
For his film Cartel Land, Matthew Heineman embedded himself with a citizen-led paramilitary group in the Mexican state Michoacán, lead by former California physician Dr Jose Mireles. The group was set up in 2013 to counter the violence of the local drug cartel, The Knights Templar, which provides methamphetamine to the US and have been responsible for kidnappings and massacres in the state. Matthew Heineman also spent time with another armed vigilante group, this time on the other side of the Rio Grande. Arizona Border Recon patrols the state's Altar Valley, which is known as Cocaine Alley. He says making the film was a terrifying experience and talks to Kathryn Ryan about the film and how the lines between good and evil are blurred in the dangerous world of cartels on the Mexican border.
The images in this gallery are used with permission and are subject to copyright conditions.