Mexican Drug Cartels Use Weaponized Drones to Attack Those Impeding Their Operations in Mexico, U.S.

Police in Mexico were attacked with weaponized drones from the Mexican drug cartels as they were in the middle of clearing blockades in El Aguaje in April.

The attack has led to the growing fear that these weaponized drones pose another obstacle in the global fight against illegal drugs.

Reports noted that the blockades were placed by organized crime groups who inhabited the area. El Aguaje lies in the west of Mexico and has become a known battleground for the Mexican drug cartels.

According to the Courier-Journal, as the Michoacán state police were doing a routine operation in the area, a drone flew over them and dropped a bomb filled with gun powder. The attack led to two members of the force being injured in the limbs.

Mexican Drug Cartels Upgrade their Weapon Arsenals

To allow more clearance in its drug flow into the United States, Mexican drug cartels such as the violent and powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel, also known as CJNG, along with its rival Cárteles Unidos, have their arsenals upgraded. The rival Mexican drug cartels are now utilizing drones in bombing their enemies, which poses a greater threat to Mexicans and Americans, InSight Crime reported.

Derek Maltz, who is a former agent in charge of the United States DEA's Special Operations Division, shared that he has been a strong advocate of designating the Mexican drug cartels as terrorist groups because they are acting like one. They are equipped with weapons like terrorist groups. Maltz added that the cartels are distributing record levels of drugs in the U.S.

Maltz further noted that drones are part of the larger strategy of the cartel in achieving their aims by arming themselves like rogue militaries. He said they are now using the latest technology that they can have in order to overcome adversaries and use it as a scout in finding better routes to funnel drugs into the U.S.

Meanwhile, a rookie drone operator who worked for Cárteles Unidos told Courier-Journal that their drug cartel alone has an estimated 100 drones. But the drone operator refused to give out his name because of their criminal activities.

He added that once a cartel member would use a drone, he will receive training from a man nicknamed "Lord of the Skies."

Furthermore, the cartel member, who agreed to an interview in exchange for anonymity, also said that the man nicknamed "Lord of the Skies" has been training them since last year.

He noted that they have many drone models in their possession that can carry a considerable amount of explosives.

He added that the drones were not too advanced, but they came legally from the U.S. through groups in Michoacán that support them.

He also mentioned that they are deploying the drones in their territory for security purposes and sometimes use it in attacking their rival cartel. However, he clarified that they are not using drones in drug trafficking since it is inefficient in carrying a large volume of drugs.

Meanwhile, even a border patrol helicopter encountered a 'highly modified" drone. The incident occurred on Feb. 9 in the skies over Tucson. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the incident, The Drive reported.

WATCH: BORDER PATROL HELICOPTER HAD BIZARRE ENCOUNTER WITH MYSTERIOUS "HIGHLY MODIFIED" DRONE - From Warthog Defense