ZeroZeroZero - Cocaine route from Mexico to Europe

When to mention cocaine, first do you thought of Colombia. Notorious Pablo Escobar appeared through a bunch of series, films, and documentaries. Mostly, Don Pablo is conceptually linked to cocaine and the cartel. But in the shadow of Escobar lies perhaps a more important centre for drug distribution around the world - Mexico. Trump is not raising a wall on the border with Mexico only because of immigrants. The top DEA agents are busy day-to-day in preventing drug trafficking and breaking the cocaine route to the United States. This series is not about the Mexico-USA. This series covers the route from Mexico to Europe. From Monterrey to the European table, or rather the European nose.

A ship loaded with cocaine must reach the Calabria shores!

The Mexican cartel, led by the Leyra brothers, currently controls cocaine wholesale traffic. Their main link on the European route is Don Minu, a capo di tutti capi from 'Ndrangheta. An elderly boss is hiding like a mole under the ground, pressed by police and threatened by the Curtiga family. The survival of an aged boss depends on a great shipment of cocaine. From Monterrey, the ship moves to Calabria, and the cargo is secured by the Lynwood family, American shipping owners. The whole business falls on the back of Emma Lynwood - starring Andrea Riseborough and her younger brother Chris - starring Dane DeHaan. Don Minu is in danger of conspiracy. Also, the Leyra Brothers have issues in Monterrey.  To their side, they cross the best squad of anti-cartel specialists of the Mexican army - Vampyros.

Vampyros, Army Specialists, crossing over to the cartel side.

The entire cartel system is firmly aided by corruption, so cartel guards are often army specialists and police. Vampyros leader is psychotic killer Manuel Contreras - starring Harold Torres. He takes over the network of petty drug dealers in Monterrey. He equips them with automatic weapons and secretly creates a trained combat private army. When conspirators from Mexico and Calabria join together, in efforts the Lynwood family doesn't arrive at their destination, Don Minu's fate seems sealed.  Never say - never. The ship somehow reaches the north coast of Africa. This is where Chris and Emma clash with ISIL, an unpredictable and deadly threat. It's all against them. The chances of a ship arriving in Calabria are minimal.

The series has been filmed on three continents, South America, Africa, and Europe.

This is not the first series with a look inside at the life of bad guys. Remember the unforgettable Sopranos. Sons of Anarchy is about a motorcycle club that makes a living by selling guns. Then the Animal Kingdom, where tattooed surfers drive the FBI into despair, with well-thought-out robberies. In ZeroZeroZero, we follow three different storylines - Mexican, American, and Italian. All the characters are deeply involved in smuggling cocaine. There is no better pair than the Saviano-Sollima tandem to make a story about the Mexican narco cartel and 'Ndragheta. Saviano was written by Gomorrah and Sollima shoot the series per his book. ZeroZeroZero is a high-budget series produced by Sky Atlantic and Canal Plus. Filmed is across three continents - South America, Africa, and Europe. From the neon lights of Monterrey to the dunes of North Africa, then to the rocky ground of the poor south of Italy. 

In addition to legendary director Sollima, the series also boasts excellent casting. Mexican line, Harold 'Vampyro' Torres from Sin Nombre, the US. The line even stronger - Gabrel Byrne from Usual Suspects, Miller's Crossing, Andrea Riseborough from Black Mirror. Last but not least, Dane DeHaan from Valerian and the City of Thousand Planets. It is he who stands out most in the casting, as he plays a young man suffering from Huntington's disease and fights with members of Cartel, ISIL and 'Ndraghet.

ZeroZeroZero is the highest purity label for cocaine

The series is swarming with violent scenes. As an illustration, a scene in which Vampyros are liquidating a full bus of city commuters - to show how they are serious! The series is full of action. The story is linear but well-written and compelling. A real treat at the beginning of the year, the series opened on 14 February 2020 on Sky Atlantic in Italy. In the end, I left a couple of interesting things about the series. ZeroZeroZero is the highest purity label for cocaine. The author of the mega-bestseller Gomorrah - Roberto Saviano, has been under police protection since the day the book was released. The Neapolitans did not forgive him for exposing the internal structure of the Camorra and he is on the liquidation list since 2006.