U.S. And Mexico To Expand Cooperation To Deal With Increased Use Of Drones By Criminal Organizations

The United States and Mexico are set to step up their cooperation to deal with the increased use of drones by criminal organizations.

The goal is preventing drone attacks by cartels at the border, according to Border Report.

"There was a topic of particular interest to the United States: The use of drones by criminals. This is something we had not previously discussed," said Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum when discussing a meeting of the U.S.-Mexico Security Implementation Group (SIG) in Mexico City last week.

"(They asked) what Mexico is doing, what is it that we know. These are discussions that contribute to strengthen security on both sides of the border," Sheinbaum added.

The outlet added that the governments agreed to link intelligence analytics software to identify threats. Sheinbaum noted that the decision doesn't mean the U.S. will have access to Mexican security assets or set up anti-drone operations in the country.

"It is important to them, but not because of a specific case. We have not detected this on the border, but it is important to the United States and it is part of the communication we have," Sheinbaum said.

The development comes as drone attacks in Mexico more than doubled last year compared to the one prior as cartels increasingly use such devices in their operations.

Border Report noted that Mexico recorded 77 drone attacks last year, compared to 35 the year prior. Henry Ziemer, associate fellow for the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the outlet that cartels are buying signal jammers to guard themselves against attacks from rival factions.

"Mexico has been at the leading edge of illicit drone use not just as a weapon against the state and rivals, but also as a means of intimidating and pressuring the civilian population," the expert added.

The organizations are also using drones to attack law enforcement. In late October, officials in the border city of Tijuana said a police station was attacked by drones carrying explosive devices.

Days after the incident, Baja California Attorney General María Elena Andrade Ramírez confirmed that a cartel was behind the attack, which specifically targeted the station's anti-kidnapping unit.

Originally published on Latin Times