Collaborative Efforts Against Cartel Surveillance in Nogales
U.S. Border Patrol agents, along with Mexican state police, recently joined forces to dismantle a cartel surveillance post situated near Nogales, Arizona.
Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks shared updates on social media regarding the destruction of these monitoring sites, highlighting their location in the mountainous terrain close to Nogales.
“Another cartel lookout site has been incinerated!” Banks noted in his post, emphasizing that this action is a significant setback for cross-border criminal organizations that aim to evade detection by monitoring border security measures.
The surveillance post was equipped with various tools designed to observe Border Patrol and other law enforcement operations in the vicinity.
As reported, the cartel has recently started utilizing drones for border surveillance activities, marking a shift in their tactics.
A journalist, Diego Cervantes, captured insights on the evolving methods used by the cartels. Traditional tools like transceiver radios, cell phones, and binoculars, which were once pivotal for low-level surveillance, have largely been replaced by drones. These affordable drones available online have become the preferred method for signaling and guiding cartel operations. Many observation posts have been discovered, prompting rival cartels to track down suspected surveillance points, often located in public spaces. The consequences for individuals caught with such devices can be severe, with automatic accusations being levied against them.
A businessman from Guamchil, Sinaloa, who frequently travels within the region, mentioned that the notorious lookout personnel known as “Halcone” or “Puntos” have diminished in presence compared to several months ago. He pointed out that these observation sites used to be quite overt, lacking the efforts to conceal themselves. Currently, rival cartels are reportedly targeting these lookout positions, leading to a noticeable decline in their visibility throughout Sinaloa. Rumors suggest that recruits for these roles are now being trained to operate drones.
