Defense chief says criminal drone use is a nationwide concern
Original reporting: El Diario de Chihuahua
What happened
Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla said criminal groups are adapting commercial drones for attacks across Mexico. He said components seized in Sinaloa were intended for assembly but lacked mechanisms to drop explosives, and that authorities have not identified the group connected to them.
Reporting and context
Mexico's defense chief says criminal groups are using commercial drones nationwide
Mexico's Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla said the military is concerned about criminal groups adapting commercially available drones for attacks across the country, not only in Sinaloa. According to El Diario de Chihuahua, Trevilla made the comments at the National Palace after authorities found drone components in Sinaloa.
Trevilla said the recently seized materials were parts intended to assemble drones, but did not include mechanisms for dropping explosives. He described the devices as unsophisticated and said authorities had identified factions connected to the seizure without determining which criminal group they belonged to. El Diario de Chihuahua reported that the military has acquired equipment to counter the threat, including fixed and mobile systems deployed along the border.
The defense secretary also said Mexican authorities are conducting coordinated operations with the United States involving these devices. He said attacks in which criminal organizations use drones have declined, although he did not provide figures. The remarks describe an official assessment of the threat and do not identify a specific group as responsible for the seized components.