5th July 2025, Kathmandu
A new report from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has unveiled a disturbing incident where hackers affiliated with a Mexican drug cartel exploited an FBI agent’s phone and public surveillance cameras in Mexico City to track down and kill confidential informants.
Mexican Cartel Hackers Used FBI Agent
The revelations, detailed in an audit titled “Audit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Efforts to Mitigate the Effects of Ubiquitous Technical Surveillance,” highlight the escalating sophistication of criminal organizations in leveraging advanced technology for their illicit activities.
The audit, conducted by the Justice Department’s inspector general, scrutinized the FBI’s challenges in combating “ubiquitous technical surveillance”—a term encompassing the proliferation of surveillance cameras globally and the widespread trade in communication, travel, and location data.
Sinaloa Cartel’s Digital Prowess
The report specifically revealed that a hacker linked to the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel, formerly led by Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán (extradited to the U.S. in 2017), managed to identify an FBI assistant legal attaché (ALAT) stationed at the U.S. embassy in Mexico City.
Once the ALAT was identified, the cartel hacker exploited their phone number to gain access to sensitive metadata, including call logs and critical geolocation data. Even more alarmingly, the hacker successfully breached Mexico City’s extensive surveillance camera network, enabling them to meticulously track the agent’s movements across the city and identify their contacts.
Weaponizing Surveillance: A Deadly Consequence
The FBI was actively engaged in an investigation targeting El Chapo when it received intelligence indicating that a cartel-aligned hacker was offering a “menu of services” designed to exploit mobile devices and other electronic systems.
According to the DOJ report, the cartel “used that information to intimidate and, in some instances, kill potential sources or cooperating witnesses.” While the identities of the hacker, the FBI ALAT, and the victims remain confidential, this chilling case underscores the perilous implications of advanced surveillance tools being weaponized by criminal enterprises. The incident reportedly occurred in 2018.
Growing Risks and the FBI’s Response
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the increasing risks associated with the commercial and governmental collection of detailed phone location data, compounded by pervasive surveillance networks. This poses a significant concern for intelligence and law enforcement agencies that are heavily reliant on confidential informants for their operations.
The audit also issued a broader warning: as technology continues to advance, it becomes increasingly feasible for even less-resourced criminal groups and nation-states to exploit government surveillance systems. In response to these escalating threats, the FBI is actively developing new mitigation strategies, including enhanced training protocols for its personnel.
These developments vividly illustrate how Mexico’s ongoing war on drugs is increasingly being waged with high-tech surveillance capabilities and sophisticated digital intrusion expertise.
El Chapo remains imprisoned in the U.S. following his arrest and extradition in 2017.
For more: Mexican Cartel Hackers Used FBI Agent