AIRSPACE CLOSED: Cartel Drones Paralyze El Paso

Mexican drug cartels now deploy drones almost daily across our southern border, carrying up to 100 kilograms of fentanyl with satellite precision while conducting surveillance on U.S. agents—a technological leap that has transformed criminal organizations into insurgent forces threatening American sovereignty.

Story Snapshot

Over 27,000 cartel drone incursions detected near the southern border in late 2024, with cartels using satellite technology for precision smuggling and surveillance operations
El Paso airspace was temporarily closed on February 11, 2026, highlighting the escalating drone threat from cartels militarizing their operations with explosive payloads
Jalisco and Sinaloa cartels now employ Ukrainian-trained operatives to enhance drone capabilities, blurring the line between criminal syndicates and paramilitary organizations
Trump administration responds with covert drone strikes on cartel labs, terror designations, and tariff threats as traditional interdiction methods prove inadequate against aerial smuggling

From Airplanes to Armed Drones: Cartel Evolution

Mexican cartels have dramatically escalated their technological sophistication, transitioning from the aircraft operations of the 1990s to precision drone systems. The Juarez Cartel’s Amado Carrillo Fuentes, known as the “Lord of the Skies,” pioneered aerial trafficking by flying massive cocaine loads until his death in 1997. His network once controlled 70 percent of U.S. cocaine distribution. Today’s cartels have abandoned bulky aircraft for nimble drones capable of carrying 100-kilogram payloads of fentanyl and methamphetamine. This shift reflects both economic calculation and operational necessity, as compact synthetic drugs require far less cargo space than traditional marijuana or cocaine shipments.

Daily Incursions and Airspace Shutdowns

Department of Homeland Security official Steven Willoughby testified in July 2024 that cartels use drones “almost daily” for smuggling drugs and monitoring U.S. Border Patrol agents. Detection systems recorded over 27,000 drone incursions within 500 meters of the southern border in late 2024, with Texas’ Rio Grande Valley alone experiencing 10,000 incidents. The El Paso airspace closure on February 11, 2026, brought national attention to the crisis, though authorities later disputed whether cartel drones directly caused the shutdown. These numbers represent a staggering increase from the 150 crossings detected between 2012 and 2014, demonstrating how cartels have normalized drone operations as standard trafficking procedure.

Weaponization and Insurgent Tactics

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel pioneered weaponized drone use after 2021, conducting explosive attacks in Michoacán, Guanajuato, and Jalisco using modified commercial and agricultural models. On June 9, 2024, CJNG operatives deployed a drone bomb against a municipal building in Juárez, Michoacán. The Sinaloa Cartel experienced internal fracturing following the arrest of “El Mayo” in 2024, triggering 15 drone-related explosions within eight months. New Lines Institute analysts characterize these cartels as “insurgents” rather than mere criminal organizations, noting their control of approximately one-third of Mexican territory. Foreign mercenaries, including Ukrainian-trained operatives, have joined cartel ranks to enhance drone capabilities, raising concerns about further militarization.

Trump Administration Countermeasures

President Trump’s administration has implemented aggressive responses to the cartel drone threat, including covert strikes on fentanyl laboratories, designation of cartels as terrorist organizations, and planned 25 percent tariffs on Mexican imports scheduled for March 2026. The Pentagon has deployed experimental laser systems near El Paso to counter drone incursions, though interagency disputes with the FAA over safety protocols have complicated implementation. Mexican authorities have responded with their own measures, purchasing armed drone fleets for Chiapas in July 2025 and establishing anti-drone units along Sinaloa and Jalisco borders. Operation Northern Border, launched in February 2025, resulted in thousands of arrests and seizure of 25 tonnes of drugs, yet displacement effects have shifted cartel operations to new territories like Durango.

The drone threat fundamentally challenges traditional border security paradigms that rely on physical barriers and ground interdiction. Cartels now possess capabilities rivaling state actors, employing satellite navigation, real-time video surveillance, and precision payload delivery that circumvents walls, checkpoints, and patrols. The International Narcotics Control Board noted in 2025 that these technological advances specifically enable high-value synthetic drug trafficking, as fentanyl’s potency allows smaller volumes to generate massive profits. Interpol documented a dramatic surge in cross-border drone deliveries starting in 2022, establishing a global precedent for narco-technological innovation. This erosion of airspace control represents not just a law enforcement challenge but a sovereignty crisis, as criminal organizations demonstrate the ability to penetrate U.S. territory at will while evading conventional countermeasures designed for an earlier era of smuggling.