Mexico City, Sept. 5 (SANA) The US military announced on Saturday that it has shot down more than 300 drones launched by drug cartels along the border with Mexico since the beginning of the current year, noting that approximately 100 of these drones were intercepted last month alone.
The US Northern Command stated on the “X” platform that criminal organizations are using those drones to facilitate illegal cross-border activities, including smuggling operations and the surveillance of law enforcement officers and soldiers, without specifying which side of the border the drones were shot down.
In the same context, Mexican Minister of Defense Ricardo Trevilla stated that the drones are primarily used by human smugglers to monitor border locations that lack an official security presence.
The developments come amid growing attempts of criminal groups utilizing drones for smuggling and surveillance activities along the US-Mexico border.
I.Z/MZ
