Mar 6, 2025 — Drones Fuel Criminal Arms Race in Latin America: Criminal groups in Illicitly used in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Panama, are increasingly using these aerial devices to confront security forces, transport illicit goods, and intimidate communities.
Haitian notorious gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, alias “Barbecue,” threatened to use explosive-laden drones in retaliation for the attack by the authorities.
Jalisco Cartel New Generation (Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación – CJNG ), the Sinaloa Cartel , and the Familia Michoacana , have incorporated drones.
Used for: intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, as well as command and control in clashes between cartels, against Mexican state forces, or even against self-defense groups. They have also been used for aerial bombings, direct attacks, and propaganda or psychological warfare operations.
Drones replaced pigeons that were once used to deliver messages and small parcels.
2014, authorities in Brazil have registered drones being used to smuggle prohibited items into prison facilities.
Juan Camilo Jaramillo Insight Crime
Sep 9, 2024 — Drones General Assessment in Latin America and the Caribbean: Describes the current state of drone use & production in the LAC region, including their adoption in various sectors, which can inform strategies to counter illicit uses. Although focusing on the legal use of drone it could be imperative to share know the law enforcement capabilities of technology to underscore their abilities against criminal organizations.
World Bank World Bank Group
Jun 5, 2024 — Organized Crime and Its Use of Drones to Sow Terror: Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG) joined the criminal group known as Drone Operators ( Operadores Droneros ) to attack rival gangs, but they are not the only criminals in Mexico to employ this tactic. The Sinaloa Cartel has also been using drones since 2021 for aerial attacks in the north of the country. Weaponization of Commercial Drones: Criminal groups, notably Mexico's Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel, are adapting commercial drones to carry and deploy explosives, including grenades and chemical devices, to attack rivals and intimidate communities.
Expansion of Drone Capabilities: Beyond attacks, drones are employed for surveillance of security forces and transportation of illicit goods. The CJNG's "Drone Operators" unit exemplifies this trend, using drones to drop chemical explosives, significantly endangering civilian populations.
Regulatory and Enforcement Challenges: The accessibility of advanced drones, such as DJI's Mavic series, combined with limited airspace regulations in countries like Mexico, complicates efforts to monitor and counteract their use by criminal entities. Authorities are responding by seeking technologies to detect and neutralize drone threats, as evidenced by daily dismantling operations in regions like Michoacán.
Julieta Pulcastre Dialogo Americas
Dec 31, 2023 — THE ILLICIT USE OF ARMED DRONES BY TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS IN MEXICO IN THE 21ST CENTURY REQUIRES NEW RESPONSES: In-depth thesis on the topic by a graduate student in army war college. This thesis presents the security challenges posed by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel’s (CJNG) use of explosive-laden drones, a significant threat to both Mexico and the United States. It advocates for a bilateral strategy combining operational, intelligence, legal, and analytical efforts from both countries. The study highlights the necessity for a comprehensive revision of legal frameworks to empower authorities to effectively counteract the illicit use of drones.
Through a structured approach, the thesis identifies the roles of various forces, including ground, air, and drone support units, to orchestrate a unified response between Mexican and U.S. law enforcement. It analyzes the CJNG’s tactics, offering insights into the potential evolution of drone misuse. Its aim is to significantly reduce the operational capacity of the CJNG in using drones for criminal activities, thereby mitigating violence and disrupting illicit activities. It concludes by advocating for a collaborative approach to address technologically advanced organized crime on an international scale.
Omar Rabling Valdez Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive DSpace Repository
May 2, 2023 — Narco-Drones: Tracing the Evolution of Cartel Aerial Tactics in Mexico's Low-Intensity Conflicts: Academic research article using in-depth analysis reveals insights into how criminal organizations adapt to the changing technological landscape, incorporating drones into their operations and creating new challenges for law enforcement. The analysis outlines strategies and identifies specialized measures to counteract this asymmetric warfare.
Ghaleb Krame, Vlado Vivoda, Amanda Davies Talyor & Finance Online
Apr 21, 2021 — Mexico cartel used explosive drones to attack police: While this article is outdated it is useful to outline the way cartels, CJNG specifically, has used drones in the past for illicit and harmful use.
BBC
UNODC explains the combined use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Ground Surveillance Systems: Although the article looks at a different region, it could be useful to understand what is being done with the use of drones by other criminal groups as a warning of those in this AOR could be up to.
United Nations
