More Ukrainian-Style One-Way Attack Drones Seized In Mexico

The emergence of fiber-optic one-way attack drones among Mexican cartels signals a troubling security threat just south of the US border.

Images published by local outlet Luz Noticias show that the Mexican Army seized Category 1 suicide drones with fiber-optic cable reels and improvised explosives. This is sparking ongoing concerns that low-cost attack drones associated with the Ukraine-Russia war and the US-Iran conflict are spreading to narco-terrorists in the Western Hemisphere.

Mexican troops found 15 drones and more than 40 improvised explosive devices in the municipality of El Rosario during security patrols on Monday. The municipality is situated in southern Sinaloa.

Here’s what the outlet said:

During the inspection , Mexican Army personnel located and seized drones , drone controllers , fiber optic cables, batteries, improvised explosive devices , chargers, cartridges, long guns , tactical vests, and ballistic plates.

The three long guns seized are AK-47 rifles , better known as Goat Horns , which were allegedly used for clashes between organized crime factions.

The latest development builds on our mid-July note that Ukrainian-style drones were found in a raid deep inside north-central Mexico.

Reuters cited US Army Brigadier General Brian Filler, deputy commander for operations at Joint Task Force Southern Border, who told reporters Monday that the military had detected 378 drone incursions in the last 30 days and that the trend was increasing.

“We are seeing largely commercial off-the-shelf available drones,” Filler said, adding that most carry surveillance cameras and are often observed alongside cross-border movements.

The US urgently needs low-cost counter-UAS assets to protect military bases, government buildings, stadiums, critical infrastructure, and data centers. The list is really endless.