Drug trafficking organizations in Mexico are using drones to transport drugs, said the United States Drug Enforcement Agency. According to information from an anonymous source within the DEA, the criminal groups have been using this technology since 2011, but recently have developed more intensively to recruit skilled workers. Drones represent a less expensive way to smuggle drugs compared to tunnels or underwater, plus they can evade detection by radar.
The DEA reported that in 2012 an average of 150 trips were made with drones that crossed the border from Mexico to the United States, in which packets of cocaine and other drugs were transported. Drones have been called the ideal 'drug mules' for the speed and efficiency with which they can transport drugs. The machines have allowed cartels to transport shipments more quickly, with less risk of being caught, allowing them to fund development programs to create their own drones.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the border, President Obama has requested funding from Congress to create his own drones for usage along the US-Mexico border. According to Defense One, the President requested $39 million to create a surveillance program, including the use of unmanned aircraft. “This funding would support a sustained border security surge through enhanced domestic enforcement, including air surveillance,” Obama wrote Tuesday in a letter to House Speaker Rep. John Boehner.
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