A terrifying wave of “narco chemical weapons terrorism” is emerging in Mexico as one of the country’s most powerful drug cartels has adopted the use of chemical explosives.
Earlier this month it emerged members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) had dropped chemical agents from drones in Coahuayana, a municipality in the state of Michoacán.
The Apatzingán Human Security Observatory said more than 100 cartel gunmen used “high-powered weapons” as well as “explosive bombs of C4 and asphyxiant chemicals with drones” to take control of local communities.
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The chemicals reportedly caused asphyxiation and itching. Several locals and six community police officers suffered the adverse effects.
Security expert Dr Robert J Bunker, director of research and analysis at C/O Futures, told the Daily Star the CJNG’s use of chemical agents in this way is “new/unique”. “It raises the terror level for the locals bombed,” he explained.
Dr Bunker said the CJNG’s continued innovation in terms of weapons capabilities raises the possibility of more terrifying developments. He said: “In the past we have only seen IEDs [improvised explosive devices] strapped on drones and IED bomblets utilised. If the CJNG keeps experimenting we may even see stand-off rockets, multiple bomblets on a drone being dropped (as we have seen in Syria and Ukraine) or possibly even firearms placed on drones.”
(Image: Mexican Federal Police)
As for the use of chemical agents, Dr Bunker said the CJNG’s goal for now is “psychological impact on local villagers, opposing cartel sicarios [hitmen], or Mexican police and military personnel”.
He said: “We could think of it as a new form of narco chemical weapons terrorism since it might produce some hysteria, especially if a white powder (even flour) was used for further PSYOPS effect.” PSYOPS (psychological operations) are military operations that aim to alter an enemy’s state of mind.
“The intent would be to drive villagers from their homes or opposing cartel or police/military personnel from where they are set up,” Dr Bunker said.
(Image: Supplied)
However, there is potential for cartels to start using chemical agents in a more “destructive” manner beyond simply causing “hysteria”, he said. Dr Bunker explained “aerosolized fentanyl or another dangerous aerosolized substance” could be dropped from drones.
“Then some casualties, including fatalities, would likely be seen, which at that point would mean bonafide chemical weapons were being used by the cartels,” he said.
Dr Bunker identified the CJNG as the most likely cartel to try this given the gang’s “track record of new weapons innovations”. Although there are no indicators the CJNG will go down this path at the moment, he added: “The CJNG’s recent use of asphyxiant chemicals itself has taken everyone by surprise, so we can’t rule this out given their ongoing wildcard behaviours.”
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