Mexican cartels have reached a terrifying new milestone in their war for control—ditching their teenage lookouts and replacing them with drones that can spy, smuggle, and even kill. This latest shift in tactics highlights just how advanced and dangerous cartel operations have become, especially along the U.S. border.

For years, cartels relied on young “halcones” or “puntos”—scouts armed with walkie-talkies and binoculars—to monitor Border Patrol and rival movements. But now, drones have made that job obsolete. According to locals in cartel-controlled regions like Sinaloa and Sonora, human lookouts have almost vanished from sight. Many of them were minors, recruited as low-level operatives in what was once seen as a gateway into cartel ranks.

But today, those very same kids are being hunted down by rival cartels. Just being seen with a radio or standing on a corner is enough to get you kidnapped—or worse. Many have been tortured for information, then killed in brutal fashion. “Now it’s better to learn to fly drones,” one source told Cartel Chronicles. “It’s safer than being caught holding a radio.”

Cartels have figured out that drones are faster, cheaper, and nearly invisible. And they’re not just used to watch Border Patrol—they’re being weaponized. Some drones now carry explosives and are being used to attack rivals, law enforcement, and even military targets. Once used to drop contraband into prison yards, drones are now central to the cartel battlefield.

Sources in Sinaloa say that not long ago, cartel lookouts were easy to spot. They didn’t hide—many sat casually on park benches, visibly coordinating with cartel leaders. But that era is over. Now, phones are searched at cartel checkpoints. Just having a rival’s drone video can get you pulled from your car and beaten in the street.

“You get a ‘tablazo’ if they even think you’re helping the enemy,” said one man, describing a punishment where cartel members force suspects to place their hands on a car hood and then beat them with a wooden board.

Mexican authorities have been seizing drones of all shapes and sizes—from cheap, off-the-shelf models to massive surveillance drones that barely fit in a truck bed. The larger drones can carry payloads far beyond what local law enforcement can defend against. So far, no meaningful technology or strategy has emerged to counter the cartel air fleet.

And the U.S. is paying attention. Earlier this week, the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely docked in Veracruz, with a mission to support anti-cartel efforts, border security, and the fight against illegal immigration. Another vessel, the USS Spruance, is reportedly patrolling off Mexico’s Pacific coast in international waters.

As the Biden administration continues to face criticism for a passive border strategy, the Trump administration has drawn sharp contrast. President Trump has authorized aggressive cooperation with Mexico, while U.S. intelligence services—such as the CIA—are reportedly reviewing their authority to use lethal force against cartel operatives inside Mexico.

Among many Mexican citizens, support for U.S. intervention is growing fast. One resident of Sonora told Breitbart that “outside intervention is the only hope.” He added bluntly, “Mexico is too corrupt to fix itself.”

As cartels turn to drone warfare and replace kids with kill bots, the stakes at the southern border have never been higher. What was once a criminal enterprise has evolved into a battlefield—and Americans are demanding action. Whether the U.S. will fully commit to dismantling these heavily armed, tech-driven criminal networks remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the age of drug cartel drones has arrived.