Mexican drug cartels have infiltrated Mexico City’s sophisticated surveillance network, using the system to track FBI agents and murder informants, exposing a terrifying new front in America’s battle against narco-terrorism.
Key Takeaways
- A Sinaloa Cartel hacker gained access to an FBI official’s phone records and Mexico City’s surveillance camera system in 2018, using this intelligence to identify and kill informants.
- The breach was revealed in a Justice Department Inspector General’s audit, which described the surveillance threat as “existential” according to some within the FBI and CIA.
- The hack occurred during FBI investigations into Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman’s operations, demonstrating the cartel’s technological sophistication in countering U.S. law enforcement.
- The Trump administration has prioritized cracking down on cartels, recently sanctioning two Mexican banks and a brokerage firm with ties to former President López Obrador’s administration for money laundering.
- The FBI is developing a strategic plan to protect sensitive information from increasingly sophisticated surveillance threats from cartels.
Cartel’s Digital Warfare Targets U.S. Law Enforcement
In a shocking revelation that underscores the evolving sophistication of Mexican drug cartels, a hacker employed by the notorious Sinaloa Cartel successfully penetrated Mexico City’s surveillance camera network to track FBI agents and identify their informants. According to a Justice Department Inspector General’s audit, the breach occurred in 2018 while the FBI was investigating Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. The hacker not only accessed an FBI assistant legal attaché’s phone data but also manipulated the city’s camera system to follow the agent’s movements throughout Mexico City, identifying everyone they met with.
The cartel then used this intelligence for lethal purposes. “According to the case agent, the cartel used (information provided by the hacker) to intimidate and, in some instances, kill potential sources or cooperating witnesses,” states the inspector general report, which reviewed the FBI’s approach to protecting sensitive information and avoiding surveillance.
This technological escalation represents a dangerous new chapter in the drug war, with cartels no longer relying solely on violence and corruption but now employing sophisticated cyber warfare tactics against American law enforcement. The FBI discovered the breach after receiving a tip about a hacker “who offered a menu of services related to exploiting mobile phones and other electronic devices.” The subsequent investigation revealed the full extent of the surveillance operation and its deadly consequences.
A U.S. Justice Department report released today reveals that in 2018, a hacker linked to Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel used an FBI official’s phone data and Mexico City’s surveillance system to track the agent and help identify informants, some of whom were later intimidated or killed.…
— NTC Report (@NTC_Report) June 28, 2025
Cartels’ Technological Evolution Poses “Existential” Threat
The breach illustrates the Sinaloa Cartel’s evolution from a traditional drug trafficking organization into a sophisticated criminal enterprise with advanced technological capabilities. “The cartels run a multibillion-dollar global enterprise and utilize sophisticated technology to enhance their business operations,” said Derek Maltz, former head of the DEA’s Special Operations Division. “They utilize state-of-the-art sophisticated surveillance techniques to identify law enforcement activities and their adversaries.”
“Some within the FBI and partner agencies, such as the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), have described this threat as ‘existential,’ the report said,” stated the inspector general report.
The audit reveals that cartels are now employing cryptocurrencies, advanced surveillance equipment, and hacking expertise to expand their operations and counter American law enforcement efforts. This technological arms race puts U.S. agents at unprecedented risk, particularly when operating in Mexico where cartels have extensive influence. The FBI, DEA, and U.S. military continue to use advanced surveillance methods against cartels, but this incident demonstrates that American agencies are now also targets of sophisticated counter-surveillance.
🚨🇲🇽 BREAKING – DOJ: SINALOA CARTEL HACKED FBI TECH TO HUNT AND KILL INFORMANTS
Turns out the Sinaloa cartel isn’t just moving kilos- they’re moving bytes, too.
A DOJ bombshell says in 2018, a cartel-linked hacker cracked into an FBI official’s phone and tapped into Mexico… https://t.co/WYE0JIF3NX pic.twitter.com/TNImrCdCn1
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) June 28, 2025
Trump Administration Targets Cartel Financial Networks
The President Trump administration has intensified efforts against Mexican cartels, recently designating several as foreign terrorist organizations. In a significant development, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has sanctioned two Mexican banks and a brokerage firm for laundering money for drug cartels. The brokerage firm, Vector Casa de Bolsa, is owned by Alfonso Romo, former chief of staff for ex-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, highlighting concerning connections between cartels and previous Mexican administrations.
“A Mexican drug cartel hired a hacker to surveil the movements of a senior FBI official in Mexico City in 2018 or earlier, gathering information from the city’s camera system that allowed the cartel to kill potential FBI informants, the Justice Department inspector general said in a new report,” said Justice Department inspector general.
The Mexican government has disputed these sanctions, defending the financial institutions despite U.S. evidence of money laundering activities. This response underscores the ongoing challenges in U.S.-Mexico cooperation on cartel issues. Meanwhile, the FBI is developing a comprehensive strategic plan to protect sensitive information from surveillance threats, acknowledging that traditional security measures are insufficient against technologically advanced criminal organizations that can exploit both high-tech and low-tech vulnerabilities.
A hacker working for the Sinaloa drug cartel was able to obtain an FBI official’s phone records and use Mexico City’s surveillance cameras to help track and kill the agency’s informants in 2018, the US Justice Department says in a report.https://t.co/Tu3Juntnrn
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) June 28, 2025
Border Security and National Defense Implications
This incident highlights the critical intersection between border security, national defense, and technological warfare. As cartels gain sophisticated surveillance capabilities, they pose an increasingly serious threat not just to law enforcement operations but to national security. The ability to track FBI agents, penetrate secure communications, and eliminate informants demonstrates how cartels can effectively neutralize American intelligence gathering and law enforcement efforts in Mexico, creating blind spots in the fight against drug trafficking and related crimes.
“Mitigate the Effects of Ubiquitous Technical Surveillance,” said the Justice Department Inspector General.
The Trump administration’s focus on securing the southern border and targeting cartels’ financial networks addresses these threats directly. By designating cartels as terrorist organizations and implementing sanctions against their financial infrastructure, the administration is acknowledging that these organizations represent more than just a law enforcement challenge – they are a sophisticated adversary requiring a comprehensive national security response. The technological capabilities demonstrated in this breach reinforce the urgency of these measures and highlight the evolving nature of the threat at America’s southern border.
