Bio
Eric S. Balliet is a retired Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with more than twenty-five years of experience dismantling transnational criminal organizations. A rare “triple-threat” in the field of national security, his career spans high-level policy advisory, internal integrity oversight, and direct involvement in the world’s most significant cartel investigations.
Kingpins & Coyotes draws from Balliet’s firsthand experience confronting cartel leadership, penetrating human smuggling pipelines, and dismantling the adaptive systems that operate in the shadows of the border. His work offers readers an inside look at how illicit networks function—and what it truly takes to dismantle them.
The Insider Perspective
From the front lines of the U.S. Border Patrol in Nogales to the operations centers of the Department of Homeland Security, Balliet has witnessed the evolution of the modern drug war from every angle. He served as the Law Enforcement Advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security under both the Obama and Trump administrations, providing strategic counsel on border policy, national security matters, and transnational organized crime at the Cabinet level.
Investigative Mastery
As a lead investigator and supervisor, Balliet specialized in systems-level analysis of illicit networks. His work led to the dismantling of sophisticated underground tunnels, maritime smuggling corridors, and financial pipelines. Most notably, he led the wire interception strategy that contributed to the capture of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán—twice.
Integrity & Authority
Beyond operations, Balliet served as Chief of the Integrity Investigations Division within the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility, overseeing institutional accountability and internal corruption matters. He is a court-recognized expert witness in drug trafficking and public corruption, having testified in federal criminal trials in numerous judicial districts.
Awards & Recognition
His contributions to national security have earned him the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association’s Agent of the Year and three consecutive HSI Executive Associate Director Awards for investigative excellence.
Featured In
The Hidden Third with Mariana van Zeller: Guest Expert
Eric on the front lines along the US/Mexico border
Click each photo to enlarge.