Overview

• The CIA is conducting covert surveillance flights using MQ-9 Reaper drones over Mexican airspace to locate fentanyl labs and monitor cartel activities.
• These flights, part of an expanded counter-cartel strategy, were initiated under the Biden administration but have been escalated by President Trump.
• Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum asserts the drone operations are coordinated with her government, though conflicting reports suggest limited transparency on U.S. activities.
• Trump's administration is moving toward designating Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, potentially enabling broader U.S. military actions.
• The unarmed drones are gathering intelligence, but they could be armed for precision strikes in the future, raising concerns about sovereignty and escalation.