Mexico's Cartels Building Custom-Made Narco Drones Camilo Mejia Giraldo - InSight Crime
go to original July 13, 2014

Mexico's drug cartels are reportedly commissioning custom-made drones to transport narcotics across the US border, illustrating the continual development of innovative new technologies and methods used to traffic drugs.

Cartels have begun hiring local workers from companies in Mexico to develop custom drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), suited to their needs, according to an unnamed Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) source consulted by El Universal.

Since 2012, the DEA has registered around 150 narco drones crossing the border, transporting in total approximately two tons of cocaine and other drugs. This amounts to an average of roughly 13 kilos per load.

US and Mexican authorities have identified Queretaro, Guadalajara, Nuevo Leon and Mexico City as the drone production points, where cartels pay professionals two to three times their normal salary for this custom technology.

While cartels used to use foreign-made drones, the new reliance on home-grown technology and construction is more cost-effective - the method is cheaper than the construction of cross-border tunnels or the use of semi-submersible vessels, according to El Universal's report.

Read the rest at InSight Crime

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!