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4w ago

U.S. Officials Warn of Imminent Cartel Drone Attacks as Mexico Denies Threat

Senate testimony has prompted U.S. agencies to expand counter-drone training in Mexico following warnings of an inevitable cartel threat on the border.

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La presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum en su 'Conferencia del Pueblo' del 23 julio del 2025. | Crédito: Presidencia
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Overview

  • Steven Willoughby of DHS told the Senate Judiciary Committee it is “only a matter of time” before Mexican cartels deploy armed drones against U.S. personnel or civilians along the border.
  • FBI official Michael Torphy said agents are embedded with Mexico’s National Guard and Navy to train local forces in drone operations and counter-unmanned aerial vehicle tactics.
  • President Claudia Sheinbaum asserted there is no evidence of new cartel drones at the frontier and highlighted ongoing collaboration through Operation Frontera with 10,000 National Guard troops.
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported over 27,000 unauthorized drone incursions within 500 meters of the southern border in late 2024 and has seized thousands of pounds of narcotics delivered by UAVs since 2019.
  • Lawmakers are weighing tougher measures against cartels, including foreign terrorist organization designations, to reinforce financial sanctions and binational security efforts.