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ORAC
22nd Apr 2021, 07:30
You could argue that Mexico is following the route of other SA countries ravaged by drug cartel wars and becoming near failed states. I am more worried by the increasing use of military hardware, especially armed drones.

Large submarines capable of transatlantic journeys carrying drug shipments are already in use and being found - how long before large long range drones are put into regular use - and how long before the use of armed drones starts being used in cartel wars inside the USA and perhaps against US birder and federal forces?

Anti-drone technology will have to grow up real fast....

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/cartel-sends-explosive-drones-to-attack-police-m39gm6pzd

Cartel sends explosive drones to attack police

A Mexican drug cartel has begun using drones laden with explosives to attack security forces, according to the country’s defence secretary.

Luis Cresencio Sandoval said the Jalisco New Generation cartel had used explosive drones against the police and army in the states of Jalisco, Guanajuato and Michoacán. Local media reported that the drones carried hand grenades, though photos circulating online showed them carrying taped packs of explosives.....

For weeks Michoacán, central Mexico, has been the setting for a vicious battle for territory. Jalisco New Generation, a powerful and well-established cartel, is trying to oust a newer rival known as the New Michoacán Family. Trenches have been cut across roads to block the routes of rivals and prevent police and soldiers from intervening.

Officials in Mexico have long warned of the threat of drones, though the latest attacks were the first to cause injuries. Last year two drones laden with C4 plastic explosive were discovered by authorities in an abandoned car in Michoacán which was believed to belong to Jalisco.

The gang has used small planes to drop bombs on its enemies and there have been reports of drones carrying drugs over the US-Mexico border.

Jalisco New Generation emerged in 2009 and has successfully overtaken many of the older cartels in the country. US officials have estimated that it controls about a third of the drugs moving through Mexico. It has mostly battled for supremacy with the Sinaloa cartel, which was once led by Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, 64, who was sentenced last year to life in prison in the US.

While the Sinaloa exercised its power relatively discreetly, Jalisco is famed for propaganda. Last year it released a video on social media which appeared to show that it had built a private army, complete with dozens of uniformed soldiers and a fleet of camouflaged armoured vehicles.

TBM-Legend
22nd Apr 2021, 07:41
You could argue that Mexico is following the route if either SA countries ravaged by drug cartel wars and becoming near failed states. I am more worried by the increasing use of military hardware, especially armed drones.

Large submarines capable of transatlantic journeys carrying drug shipments are already in use and being found - how long before large long range drones are put into regular use - and how long before the use of armed drones starts being used in cartel wars inside the USA and perhaps against US birder and federal forces?

Anti-drone technology will have to grow up real fast....

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/cartel-sends-explosive-drones-to-attack-police-m39gm6pzd

Cartel sends explosive drones to attack police

A Mexican drug cartel has begun using drones laden with explosives to attack security forces, according to the country’s defence secretary.

Luis Cresencio Sandoval said the Jalisco New Generation cartel had used explosive drones against the police and army in the states of Jalisco, Guanajuato and Michoacán. Local media reported that the drones carried hand grenades, though photos circulating online showed them carrying taped packs of explosives.....

For weeks Michoacán, central Mexico, has been the setting for a vicious battle for territory. Jalisco New Generation, a powerful and well-established cartel, is trying to oust a newer rival known as the New Michoacán Family. Trenches have been cut across roads to block the routes of rivals and prevent police and soldiers from intervening.

Officials in Mexico have long warned of the threat of drones, though the latest attacks were the first to cause injuries. Last year two drones laden with C4 plastic explosive were discovered by authorities in an abandoned car in Michoacán which was believed to belong to Jalisco.

The gang has used small planes to drop bombs on its enemies and there have been reports of drones carrying drugs over the US-Mexico border.

Jalisco New Generation emerged in 2009 and has successfully overtaken many of the older cartels in the country. US officials have estimated that it controls about a third of the drugs moving through Mexico. It has mostly battled for supremacy with the Sinaloa cartel, which was once led by Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, 64, who was sentenced last year to life in prison in the US.

While the Sinaloa exercised its power relatively discreetly, Jalisco is famed for propaganda. Last year it released a video on social media which appeared to show that it had built a private army, complete with dozens of uniformed soldiers and a fleet of camouflaged armoured vehicles.



Nothing new here. The Russian separatists in the Eastern Ukraine have been using drones to drop grenades and satchel charges on Ukrainian positions and because they have cameras can do it with pinpoint accuracy.

Asturias56
22nd Apr 2021, 08:23
They already do - the UK has seen drones used to deliver phones and drugs into prisons for about a year I heard. - better service than Deliveroo and cuts out having to bribe prison officers

It's not unexpected - criminals read the papers like everyone else and the drugs guys have lots of cash and can adapt whatever hi-tech they want. Remember that criminals historically bought fast cars, fast boats then aeroplanes and then fast aeroplanes. Now it's subs and shortly it'll be drones.

AFAIK no-one has gone to rockets yet - which tells you a lot about cost effectiveness and reliability I guess.......

Sideshow Bob
22nd Apr 2021, 11:12
AFAIK no-one has gone to rockets yet - which tells you a lot about cost effectiveness and reliability I guess.......

... and being able to safely land them, just ask Elon Musk LOL

There's a really interesting Series called Narco Wars on National Geographic charting the history of the battles to stop trafficking and the rise and fall of the various cartels throughout South America. Well worth watching.

Baldeep Inminj
22nd Apr 2021, 13:53
Pedant check (sorry) - Mexico is in North America, not SA as mentioned (or indeed Central America).

The country is a lot more advanced than many realize, and it is a truism that the drug money enables huge development of whatever technology is deemed beneficial to the business. Armed drones are now within reach of anyone with a few grand a bit of know-how. These will quickly become more advanced and capable. In the bigger picture, the day of the manned fighter is approaching the sunset phase - the decision maker does not need to be in the aircraft anymore. The more worrying aspect from my point of view is the huge amount of research and development being done into an AI solution, where drones make decision for themselves based on a rule-decision matrix. This will include kill/no-kill decisons. Drug Lords with billions of dollars will be only too happy to have some airborne robot killers protecting their investments.

nonsense
22nd Apr 2021, 16:37
... Now it's subs and shortly it'll be drones.

AFAIK no-one has gone to rockets yet - which tells you a lot about cost effectiveness and reliability I guess.......

Now there's a thought, with a drone you can get your package over Trump's wall, but with a rocket you could deliver from just inside Mexico to tens of miles or further into the USA...

Video Mixdown
22nd Apr 2021, 18:38
Now there's a thought, with a drone you can get your package over Trump's wall, but with a rocket you could deliver from just inside Mexico to tens of miles or further into the USA...

I'd have thought that launching rockets at the US would be very bad for your health.

unmanned_droid
22nd Apr 2021, 19:57
Drones dropping stuff off in prison...Its way longer than a year. And anyway, catapults were being used before that, and catapults are being used again. Best solution was the netting.

Very low cost drones have been used to attack Russian airbases (at least) in Syria and drones have been used a lot in Iraq - and were very effective to begin with.

The latest Nagarno-Karabakh conflagration saw An2s converted in to drones and filled with explosives (pilots performed take off, set them on cruise and then parachuted out of them) along side other drone products.

Its an extremely pervasive technology.

Asturias56
23rd Apr 2021, 07:20
"Drones dropping stuff off in prison...Its way longer than a year"

Sorry I was only speaking form personal experience....... you obviously have a longer record...... :E

But as you say where there's will there's a way - and of course the chances of getting caught using a drone are infinitesimal compared to smuggling stuff in in person (literally !)

unmanned_droid
23rd Apr 2021, 11:33
"Drones dropping stuff off in prison...Its way longer than a year"

Sorry I was only speaking form personal experience....... you obviously have a longer record...... :E

But as you say where there's will there's a way - and of course the chances of getting caught using a drone are infinitesimal compared to smuggling stuff in in person (literally !)

Haha, you got me there!

I'm so glad most of the people doing this kind of stuff only have half a brain.

GlobalNav
23rd Apr 2021, 23:55
Haha, you got me there!

I'm so glad most of the people doing this kind of stuff only have half a brain.

Well, the ones with the other half are in politics