Mexican Drug Cartel Hacker Spied on FBI Official's Phone to Track and Kill Informants, Report Says

In a shocking revelation, a hacker hired by the Mexican Sinaloa drug cartel has been found to have spied on a U.S. Embassy official in Mexico City using advanced phone-hacking techniques. The incident occurred in 2018, during the time of the investigation that ultimately led to the arrest of notorious kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.

The Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General recently released a report detailing the incident, which highlights the ongoing struggle between law enforcement agencies and criminal organizations in the digital age. According to the report, someone connected to El Chapo's cartel tipped off the FBI that they had hired a hacker with expertise in exploiting mobile phones and other electronic devices.

The hacker, who was able to observe people going in and out of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, including the FBI assistant legal attaché, managed to obtain the official's mobile phone number and access their calls made and received, as well as geolocation data associated with their phone. The hacker also accessed Mexico City's camera system to follow the attaché through the city and identify people they met with.

Using this information, the cartel was able to intimidate and even kill potential sources or cooperating witnesses, according to the FBI. The report highlights the vulnerability of law enforcement agencies in the face of sophisticated surveillance techniques used by organized crime groups.

A Long History of Surveillance and Hacking Capabilities

Mexico has long been at the forefront of surveillance and hacking capabilities, particularly on both sides of the drug war. For over a decade, local and federal law enforcement agencies have spent millions of dollars using spyware made by companies like Hacking Team and NSO Group to target cartels and other criminal organizations.

On the other hand, the Sinaloa cartel has been known to use encrypted phones, which are specially crafted devices designed to minimize the risk of surveillance. These phones are stripped of core functionalities and equipped with encrypted communications technologies, making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to track their activities.

A Rise in Hacking Capabilities

In recent years, Mexican cartels have employed a range of advanced hacking techniques to build and manage their own communications networks. For example, local cartels have been known to tap into security software used by local government agencies to locate and disappear rivals and hide their crimes.

Earlier in 2015, Motherboard reported that local cartels had established a “hacker brigade” to build and manage these networks. Later, in 2017, Motherboard revealed that a hacker working for the Sinaloa cartel had helped authorities track down and arrest El Chapo's lieutenant, Dámaso López Núñez.

A Disturbing Trend

The recent report highlights a disturbing trend of law enforcement agencies being targeted by sophisticated surveillance techniques used by organized crime groups. As the cat-and-mouse game between hackers and security experts continues to evolve, it is essential for law enforcement agencies to stay one step ahead of these threats.