Mexican Drug Cartels Using Drones To Scout Border Crossings?
Drones have become almost an everyday part of life now (not the kind Mark Levin speaks of - the robotic flying kind!) - and that includes use by the "bad" guys.
The Miami Herald has written a fascinating piece about how drone technology is now, or going to be, in the hands of over 50 nations very soon. And perhaps, if not already, in the hands of dangerous drug cartels.
There are so many different types of drones that are currently available - from the large Predators capable of taking out terrorists, to small-scale units that are not much larger than your typical radio controlled model used at the Richland airport by enthusiasts. The scary part is, it's not just the 20 or 30 foot long military models that can or will be outfitted with weapons.
Some experts say even the smaller drones could be fitted with missles, or especially small-caliber weapons. The Herald article also points out that with such widespread technology it won't be long before "rogue" nations and/or terrorists have them, and start using them. After a search of multiple sources, we at Newstalk were not, at least initially, able to find any hard evidence that Mexican or other drug cartels are using the drones. But it make sense to think, as the article pointed out, that if Columbian drug runners are capable of building sophisticated submarines (some has been up to 60 feet in length!) to run drugs to the U.S., it won't be impossible for them to eventually wind up with drones to be used to spot unmanned and undefended areas of the U.S. border with Mexico.
Last year, Mexico confirmed that U.S. drones have been used in the drug war with Mexico. Not for taking out targets, but for certain survillance and monitoring missions. Besides the issue of dozens of police forces and other law enforcement agencies applying with the FAA to get drones for routine patrols (and the invasion of normal Americans' privacy) the thought of such technology falling into the wrong hands is alarming. It's pretty hard to get your hands on a nuclear weapon for misues. Drone technology? Could be a whole nother matter.