Mexican cartels are increasingly using drones with high-powered weapons as a terror tool. The use of drones by drug gangs at the border has become common, and experts say they have surpassed the capabilities of Mexican authorities.
The Mexican government denies claims of a drone incursion in El Paso’s airspace, but the use of drones is not new. Cartels have been using them for reconnaissance, delivering drugs, and even bombing rivals since 2017.
The situation has raised concerns about the ability of cartels to carry out attacks on US soil. The US Department of Homeland Security says that cartels are using drones daily to conduct surveillance and convey drugs across the border. In the last six months, over 27,000 drones were detected within 500 meters of the southern border.
Eduardo Guerrero, a Mexican security analyst, warns that if cartels use drones to strike targets on US soil, it could be used as an excuse for a ground attack by the Trump administration on Mexico. Cartels have already been using drones to attack state and municipal police in Mexico.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/11/mexican-cartel-drones-el-paso