Recent data and US officials reveal a significant increase in surveillance of Mexican drug cartels by the US military. Over the past two weeks, sophisticated spy planes have conducted at least 18 missions over the southwestern US and international airspace around the Baja peninsula. This surge in activity, a departure from the historical norm of one surveillance mission per month, is part of President Trump's directive to secure the border and combat drug smuggling operations.
The missions, including flights by Navy P-8s and a U-2 spy plane, mark a shift in national security focus towards the southern border. The Pentagon's use of these advanced aircraft highlights the military's role in counternarcotics efforts and border security, traditionally led by domestic law enforcement agencies.
