The cartels from Mexico and the Central and South Americas invest millions every year in an attempt to smuggle narcotics into U.S. markets. Often these attempts fail, and for a while, failed shipments were not a huge concern for the cartels. The profit margins in the U.S. combined with the sheer magnitude of weight being smuggled meant that if even a fraction of operations were successful, the money generated would more than pay for any lost packages.
This doesn’t mean they wouldn’t like to make even more money, and they are always searching for any technology or information which could make their operations more efficient. Today the cartels are evolving and becoming more resourceful than ever. Their gaze now rests on a new technology as a solution to the drawbacks of current smuggling methods; drones.
Previously, one of the most successful smuggling methods was by submarine. Now, cartels can supposedly produce and operate roughly 24 drones for the price of one sub. While the submarine delivers much higher payloads, the drones are much less likely to be intercepted; and when they are, it only stops a fraction of the payload (assuming the captured drone is not a decoy). These developments could certainly make the DEA’s job more difficult.
With the rise of drone technology, the cartels now have the means to increase their success rates and profit margins by big percentages. Drones are being tailored to smuggle large amounts of contraband for a fraction of the investment price. Narcos like the Sinaloa Cartel use aeronautical engineering facilities to produce powerful drones based off of U.S. and Israeli models. Cartel leaders have likely been watching these technologies for over a decade now, and we are beginning to realize that smuggling might be one of the more benign utilities they have planned for narco drones.
For half a century the cartels have had more contraband than they knew what to do with. They’ve had enough weapons and personnel to paralyze governments and engage in small wars. So what is it these organizations value over everything now? Information and technology. With information they protect themselves through blackmail and intimidation. Drone technology further enables them to gather all the information they need and more; surveillance, decoys, weaponized drones, everything a trafficker needs to conduct smuggling, laundering, assassinations, and blackmail. While the DEA has stated that drones are not yet “a serious smuggling concern,” it does mean further danger to the men and women protecting our borders.
The major weakness in drone technology is its reliance on software and network communications. Thankfully, the government has a lot of experience with this sort of combat. One of our most valuable assets will be computer security specialists that can hack into these drones. It will be crucial to learn everything about the software and navigation systems being developed/modified by the cartels in order to hijack their drones, track their movements, or discover any links they might have to the narco agents.
Hacking Drones:
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140206-can-drones-be-hacked
Sinaloa Federation:
https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/the-sinaloa-federations-international-presence
Drawbacks of Narco Subs:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/high-times/cocaine-submarine_b_4136885.html
DEA Response to Narco Drones:
Narco Drone Production, Uses, and Costs
http://missouridronelaw.blogspot.com/2013/05/if-drones-are-illegal-then-only.html
Narco Drone Production, Uses, and Costs
http://www.theamericaspostes.com/2338/narco-drones-puts-all-u-s-border-efforts-in-question/