Narco-hackers use a mix of commercial, custom-built, and off-the-shelf technologies for surveillance, often leveraging vulnerabilities in public infrastructure and personal devices. Their tools allow for both digital tracking and physical observation.
Key surveillance technologies include:
Spyware: Cartels have used commercial, military-grade spyware like Pegasus (developed by the NSO Group and typically licensed only to government agencies) to remotely access and extract data from mobile phones. This software can suck up all data (messages, photos, call logs), activate microphones and cameras, and track geolocation, without the user’s knowledge.
Ubiquitous Technical Surveillance (UTS): This is a methodology involving the aggregation and analysis of data from multiple sources to build a target’s profile. Sources include:
Public and private camera systems: Hackers access city-wide surveillance cameras and potentially private security cameras (like Ring doorbells) to track movements and identify associates.
Phone data exploitation: This involves obtaining call logs (who called whom), geolocation data, and message contents either through hacking, coercing telecom insiders, or by exploiting network vulnerabilities.
Online presence and data brokers: Data is often purchased from data brokers or scraped from social media platforms to identify “people of interest,” build patterns of life, and track online activity.
Financial and travel records: This data is used to track the movement of individuals and money.
Custom Cellular Networks and Software Defined Radio (SDR): To avoid government wiretaps, some cartels have built their own private, encrypted radio and cellular networks using antennas, repeaters, and modified commercial equipment.
IMSI Catchers: These devices, often called “Stingrays,” act as fake cell towers to trick nearby phones into connecting to them, allowing the cartel to collect IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) numbers, location data, and sometimes even the content of communications.
Drones (UAVs): Cartels use commercial drones for aerial surveillance of law enforcement activities, U.S. border agents, and rival operations. They are also reportedly experimenting with FPV (First-Person View) drones for potential attacks.
GPS Tracking: Cartels use GPS technology to track their own drug shipments and logistics with precision, allowing them to avoid law enforcement.
Encrypted Communication Apps: They rely heavily on end-to-end encrypted messaging applications like Signal, WhatsApp, and Telegram for secure internal communication.
The key enabler is that much of this technology is commercially available, making it accessible to criminal enterprises with a modest budget and technical talent. @highlight David Michael Ramsey @surfman374 🎵🛟💙🇺🇸 rigsreefclassicspearfishing.com

“Narco hackers” refers to cybercriminals working for drug cartels or related transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). These groups use advanced technology for surveillance, profit, and security, posing significant national security threats.
Key Activities and Incidents
Surveillance and Tracking: Cartels employ hackers to conduct ubiquitous technical surveillance. A notable 2018 incident revealed that a hacker hired by the Sinaloa cartel tracked a senior FBI official’s phone calls, location data, and accessed Mexico City’s public camera systems to identify, intimidate, and in some cases, kill informants.
Cybercrime and Financial Operations: TCOs are expanding into cybercrime for profit. This includes ransomware attacks, dark web markets, and using cryptocurrencies to launder money and evade detection.
Building Custom Infrastructure: Some cartels have gone as far as building their own private, secure cellular networks using technologies like Software Defined Radio (SDR) to avoid government wiretaps and surveillance.
Spyware Use: Mexican criminal groups have exploited commercial spyware, such as the notorious Pegasus software, which was originally sold to Mexican law enforcement agencies, to target journalists, human rights defenders, and rivals.
“Hacktivism” Involvement: In the past, the hacker collective “Anonymous” has publicly threatened to expose collaborators of the Los Zetas cartel in Mexico, leading to a tense, public standoff where the cartel threatened violence in return.
Government Hacking Leaks: Conversely, “hacktivists” such as the group Guacamaya have breached government systems (like the Colombian prosecutor’s office) and leaked vast amounts of data (“NarcoFiles”), which exposed details about cartel operations, law enforcement agents, and witnesses.
Threat to National Security
The integration of hacking capabilities into traditional drug trafficking operations creates “cyber-cartels” that present unique challenges for law enforcement. The ability to leverage technology for secure communication, tracking adversaries, and generating illicit income puts these organizations on par with other major cybercriminal threats, necessitating comprehensive international and interagency cooperation to counter them.

“Narco hackers” can refer to two related concepts: hackers who use their skills to work with or for drug cartels, or the broader term for a law enforcement operation like the one involving the ANOM messaging app, which hackers used as a tool to monitor “narco” (drug trafficking) activities. The latter is a sting operation where a fake, “secure” messaging app was used to gather intelligence on criminals, and the term highlights how a seemingly criminal technology was used to dismantle criminal networks.
Hackers working for criminals
Criminal organizations have historically used hackers to create secure communication networks. For example, the company Phantom Secure created modified mobile phones to provide secure communications to drug traffickers and other criminals.
The CEO of Phantom Secure was arrested and sentenced in 2019, and his company was later shut down, with customers including members of the Sinaloa Cartel.
“Narco” hacking as a law enforcement tool
The term can also refer to the sophisticated operations run by law enforcement to infiltrate and dismantle criminal organizations.
In a notable example, the FBI and Australian Federal Police ran a sting operation called Operation Trojan Shield by creating a fake secure messaging app called ANOM. The app was secretly distributed to criminals, but in reality, it was a tool for law enforcement to monitor their communications.
The operation, which involved a global collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, resulted in hundreds of arrests and the seizure of large amounts of drugs, weapons, and cash.

The term “narco bomb team” is not a formal name of a specific, permanent U.S. military or law enforcement unit. Rather, recent news coverage uses variations of the term to refer to U.S. military forces involved in strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats, often described by officials as carrying “narco-terrorists”.
U.S. Military Operations
Since September 2025, the U.S. has conducted a series of military strikes, primarily in the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific Ocean, targeting vessels alleged to be involved in drug trafficking.
Operation Name: The mission has recently been named Operation Southern Spear by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Command: The operations are overseen by U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).
Forces Involved: Various U.S. military assets, including the Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group, B-52 bombers, and an elite counterterror group, Navy SEAL Team 6, have been deployed or involved in the operations.
Justification: The Trump administration has justified the use of force by designating numerous Latin American drug cartels and gangs as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and asserting that the vessels pose an “imminent threat” to U.S. national interests.
Controversy: The strikes have generated international and domestic controversy, with critics, including United Nations experts and some U.S. lawmakers, questioning the legality of the attacks under international law and the lack of publicly provided evidence that the specific vessels were involved in drug trafficking or posed an imminent threat.
Narco-Terrorism Definition
“Narcoterrorism” typically refers to attempts by drug traffickers to influence a government’s policies through violence and intimidation, or by terrorist groups using drug trafficking to fund their activities. The term has been applied to various groups globally, including:
Mexican Cartels: Groups like the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and Sinaloa Cartel have been formally classified as FTOs.
Colombian Groups: Past conflicts with the Medellín Cartel led by Pablo Escobar involved significant violence and bombings.
Middle Eastern & Asian Groups: Hezbollah and the PKK have been linked to using drug trade profits for their operations.

The term “narco bomb team” is not a formal name of a specific, permanent U.S. military or law enforcement unit. Rather, recent news coverage uses variations of the term to refer to U.S. military forces involved in strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats, often described by officials as carrying “narco-terrorists”.
U.S. Military Operations
Since September 2025, the U.S. has conducted a series of military strikes, primarily in the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific Ocean, targeting vessels alleged to be involved in drug trafficking.
Operation Name: The mission has recently been named Operation Southern Spear by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Command: The operations are overseen by U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).
Forces Involved: Various U.S. military assets, including the Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group, B-52 bombers, and an elite counterterror group, Navy SEAL Team 6, have been deployed or involved in the operations.
Justification: The Trump administration has justified the use of force by designating numerous Latin American drug cartels and gangs as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and asserting that the vessels pose an “imminent threat” to U.S. national interests.
Controversy: The strikes have generated international and domestic controversy, with critics, including United Nations experts and some U.S. lawmakers, questioning the legality of the attacks under international law and the lack of publicly provided evidence that the specific vessels were involved in drug trafficking or posed an imminent threat.
Narco-Terrorism Definition
“Narcoterrorism” typically refers to attempts by drug traffickers to influence a government’s policies through violence and intimidation, or by terrorist groups using drug trafficking to fund their activities. The term has been applied to various groups globally, including:
Mexican Cartels: Groups like the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and Sinaloa Cartel have been formally classified as FTOs.
Colombian Groups: Past conflicts with the Medellín Cartel led by Pablo Escobar involved significant violence and bombings.
Middle Eastern & Asian Groups: Hezbollah and the PKK have been linked to using drug trade profits for their operations.

“Narco kill team” is a phrase associated with news reports regarding U.S. military strikes on alleged drug trafficking vessels in late 2025 and general terminology for enforcement groups tied to drug cartels.
U.S. Military Operations
Recent news reports from late 2025 discuss U.S. military operations against alleged “narco-terrorists” in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, which have been framed by the U.S. government as lethal, kinetic strikes against designated terrorist organizations.
“Kill Everybody” Order Allegation: Multiple news outlets, citing sources, reported that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth gave a verbal order to “kill everybody” on a targeted vessel. In one specific incident in September 2025, after a first missile strike left two survivors, a second strike was reportedly ordered to kill them in the water in adherence to this directive.
Controversy: These strikes, which have resulted in over 80 deaths across more than a dozen attacks since September 2025, have faced intense scrutiny from law-of-war experts, some of whom have labeled the actions extrajudicial killings or war crimes. The administration has defended the operations as lawful self-defense against “narcoterrorism”.
Denials: Hegseth and other officials have denied the “kill everybody” order but have stated that the intent is to stop lethal drugs and kill the “narco-terrorists” responsible.
Cartel Enforcement Groups
The term “kill team” (or “death squad”) is also used to refer to armed enforcement wings of drug cartels in Mexico that carry out violence, kidnappings, and murders against rivals, civilians, and authorities.
Los Zetas: This group originated as the “most formidable death squad” for the Gulf cartel, formed by former Mexican Special Forces personnel who used military training for criminal activities and became notorious for their ruthlessness, including beheadings.
Sinaloa Cartel: Factions of the Sinaloa Cartel, such as Gente Nueva and Los Ántrax, have been described as having enforcer death squads.
Violence in Mexico: Criminal violence linked to these groups has resulted in around 480,000 lives lost in Mexico since 2006. Recent shootouts between security forces and alleged cartel members in states like Sinaloa are common occurrences.

The term “narco assassin” primarily refers to individuals who carry out assassinations for drug cartels or a number of books and movies that use this title.
In Popular Culture
The phrase “Narco Assassin” is used in the titles of several fictional works:
Narco Assassin (2015/2016 movie): A film about a fugitive hitman and a woman with a secret who are pursued by a team of assassins led by a ruthless villain. It can be streamed on services like Tubi or rented/purchased on Prime Video and Google Play.
Narco Assassins: A David Rivers Thriller (Book series, Book 4): An action thriller novel by Jason Kasper, a USA Today bestselling author and former Green Beret. The plot follows a CIA team as they track an elusive assassin and FARC revolutionary through Colombia. It is available for purchase from retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and as an audiobook on Audible.
Narco Killer: A full action movie available for free on YouTube.
In Reality
In real life, the term refers to hitmen employed by drug cartels:
Extradited Assassin: In May 2024, the top assassin for the Sinaloa drug cartel, Nestor Isidro Perez Salas (known as “El Nini”), was extradited to the U.S. to face charges. He was described by a former DEA agent as “a complete psychopath”.
Pablo Escobar’s Chief Assassin: The chief assassin for Pablo Escobar’s Medellín cartel was a man named Jhon Jairo Velásquez, alias “Popeye”. He was freed from jail in 2014 after serving a lengthy sentence.

Real-life examples
Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas: A suspected top assassin for the Sinaloa cartel, also known as “El Nini,” who is wanted in the US for drug trafficking, murder, and kidnapping.
Dandeny Muñoz Mosquera: A high-ranking enforcer for the Medellín Cartel under Pablo Escobar, he was involved in numerous assassinations and bombings.
Ryan James Wedding: A former Canadian Olympian turned alleged drug lord accused of leading a massive cocaine trafficking organization, who is on the FBI’s list of most wanted individuals for orchestrating murders and other crimes.
Oscar Valdez-Garcia: An assassin for the La Organización de Narcotraficantes Unidos (La ONU) drug trafficking organization who was sentenced to 40 years in prison for racketeering and conspiracy to commit murder.

“Narco assassin” can refer to a hitman working for a drug cartel or a title for various works of fiction. Real-life examples include individuals like Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, a suspected top assassin for the Sinaloa cartel, and historical figures involved in cartel-related violence, such as the enforcers of the Cali cartel. In fiction, the term is used in movie titles like the 2015 film Narco Assassin and book series such as Jason Kasper’s “Narco Assassins”.

“Narco sniper” is a colloquial term for snipers used by drug cartels and criminal organizations, distinct from military or law enforcement snipers. These criminals use sniper rifles to intimidate rivals, carry out assassinations, and defend territory. While there is no definitive public record of “narco snipers” in the same way as military snipers, the term is widely used in law enforcement and media reports regarding cartel violence.
Characteristics of cartel snipers
Training: Unlike their military counterparts who undergo extensive and formal training, cartel snipers often acquire their skills through experience in a violent environment or informal training, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Equipment: While specific equipment varies, cartel snipers have been seen using a range of sniper rifles, including high-powered rifles capable of long-range engagement. They may also be seen using a variety of civilian and military-grade sniper rifles.
Tactics: Cartel snipers are often used for strategic attacks such as assassinating rivals or law enforcement officials. They have also been used in ambushes to intimidate and control territory, creating fear and chaos in specific areas.
Impact and context
The use of snipers by drug cartels is often part of a broader strategy of intimidation and violence to maintain control over territory and drug routes.
The presence of “narco snipers” has been a major concern for law enforcement, prompting them to develop specific tactics and equipment to counter these threats, such as ballistic shields and gas masks.
Media coverage and law enforcement reports often refer to these individuals as “narco snipers” to highlight their association with organized crime, but this is not a formal military designation.