Director of Research and Analysis, C/O Futures, LLC; cofutures.net Phone: 909-210-6739 Address: C/O Futures, LLC 226 W. Foothill Blvd, Suite D-2 Claremont, CA 91711
This primer provides policing, law enforcement, and homeland security professionals a general, ye... more This primer provides policing, law enforcement, and homeland security professionals a general, yet comprehensive, overview concerning the transnational street (and in some international locales-prison) gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13 or MS13). The gang has received heightened attention by the last two US presidential administrations-especially the present one-due to the perceived threat it increasingly represents to both the domestic security of the United States and, even more so, to her allies in CentralAmerica.
Drones (also called unmanned aerial vehicles or systems—UAVs or UAS) are becoming more common alo... more Drones (also called unmanned aerial vehicles or systems—UAVs or UAS) are becoming more common along the US-Mexico border as Mexican cartel assets. While typically considered a tool for smuggling [1], they are increasingly seen as having application for other purposes including espionage, surveillance, and as weapons
The drug trafficking faction (facção) in the "Complexo de Israel" (Israel Compl... more The drug trafficking faction (facção) in the "Complexo de Israel" (Israel Complex) led by Álvaro Malaquias Santa Rosa, known as Peixão (Big Fish) built a bridge over a canal in Rio de Janeiro's Zona Norte (North Zone) to elude police surveillance. The bridge connects the Favela das Cinco Bocas, in Brás de Pina, to Cidade Alta, in Cordovil.
Operational Environment Watch provides translated selections and analysis from a diverse range of... more Operational Environment Watch provides translated selections and analysis from a diverse range of foreign articles and other media that our analysts and expert contributors believe will give military and security professionals an added dimension to their critical thinking about the Operational Environment. On 28 July, El Salvadoran authorities seized dozens of businesses, froze bank accounts, and arrested 77 gang members associated with Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13
Concerns over the changing nature of gangs and cartels and their relationships to states in the l... more Concerns over the changing nature of gangs and cartels and their relationships to states in the late 20th and early 21st centuries has resulted in the emergence of a scholarly body of work focused on their national security threat potentials. This body of work, utilizing the third generation gangs and third phase cartel typologies, represents an alternative to traditional gang and organized crime research and one that is increasingly influencing the US defense community. Rather than being viewed only as misguided youth and opportunistic criminals or, in their mature forms, as criminal organizations with no broader social or political agendas, more evolved gangs and cartels, are instead seen as developing political, mercenary, and state-challenging capacities. This evolutionary process has emerged due to the growing illicit economy and other unintended consequences of globalization.https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgu_facbooks/1012/thumbnail.jp
Narco-Submarines Specially Fabricated Vessels Used For Drug Smuggling Purposes Byron Ramirez and ... more Narco-Submarines Specially Fabricated Vessels Used For Drug Smuggling Purposes Byron Ramirez and Robert J. Bunker, Editors Foreign Military Studies Office, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas TRADOC G-2 In cooperation with Small Wars Journal--El Centro and Insight Crime. 164 pp. Byron Ramirez (PhD candidate) is a SWJ El Centro Intern and Dr. Robert J. Bunker is a SWJ El Centro Senior Fellow. This document represents the most extensive OSINT (open source intelligence) dataset and analysis of narco submarines that presently exists. Narco-Submarines Specially Fabricated Vessels Used For Drug Smuggling Purposes
Abstract This article is intended to serve as a ‘think piece’ which invites readers to view curre... more Abstract This article is intended to serve as a ‘think piece’ which invites readers to view current perceived changes to the conduct of modern warfare in the broader historical light outlined by proponents of epochal change theory. Neo-medievalists have gone a step in this direction and posited that these changes represent the future of warfare and are evidence of a return, in a sense, to the primary tenets of political and social organization that existed in the period commonly referred to as the Middle Ages. The contention herein is that the answer gains more accuracy if one takes a much longer historical standpoint beginning with classical civilization and moving through the medieval period to our modern world. With regard to the present, this epochal warfare analysis projects that a shift from a Westphalian to post-Westphalian global system is underway. During this period of transition – as in the transition periods between epochs which have preceded it – the dominant state form undergoes a deinstitutionalization process, and war is less about traditional issues of state sovereignty, and instead increasingly over ‘what the new form of social and political organization will be’.
This essay provides an overview of those incidents of torture and beheadings linked to the Mexica... more This essay provides an overview of those incidents of torture and beheadings linked to the Mexican cartels and their mercenary and gang affiliates taking place both within Mexico and the United States. Specific forms of torture are discussed as well as the most likely victims and perpetrators. Beheadings, primarily taking place only in Mexico, are also analyzed with supporting database
... View all notes. Examples of this criminal takeover are Bolivia under General Luis Garcia Meza... more ... View all notes. Examples of this criminal takeover are Bolivia under General Luis Garcia Meza (19801981) whose coup was funded largely ... Asher, DL (2005) 'The North Korean Criminal State, its Ties to Organized Crime, and the Possibility of WMD Proliferation', Policy Forum ...
Operational Environment Watch provides translated selections and analysis from a diverse range of... more Operational Environment Watch provides translated selections and analysis from a diverse range of foreign articles and other media that our analysts and expert contributors believe will give military and security professionals an added dimension to their critical thinking about the Operational Environment. Derived from insurgent social media, a training video obtained from the capture of an ISIS courier and provided to the British news source Sky News demonstrates that ISIS and Syrian rebels are increasingly developing improvised robotic weaponry. According to the reporting, in many instances militants are using scrap material to repair or piece together to produce a makeshift armored vehicle or alternative forms of weaponry
Operational Environment Watch provides translated selections and analysis from a diverse range of... more Operational Environment Watch provides translated selections and analysis from a diverse range of foreign articles and other media that our analysts and expert contributors believe will give military and security professionals an added dimension to their critical thinking about the Operational Environment. In mid-April Mexican authorities seized weapons, drugs, and exotic animals in possession of La Linea cartel in Nuevos Casas Grandes, Chihuahua. Among the weapons was a guided missile launcher recovered from a stolen vehicle located outside an apartment complex
This primer provides policing, law enforcement, and homeland security professionals a general, ye... more This primer provides policing, law enforcement, and homeland security professionals a general, yet comprehensive, overview concerning the transnational street (and in some international locales-prison) gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13 or MS13). The gang has received heightened attention by the last two US presidential administrations-especially the present one-due to the perceived threat it increasingly represents to both the domestic security of the United States and, even more so, to her allies in CentralAmerica.
Drones (also called unmanned aerial vehicles or systems—UAVs or UAS) are becoming more common alo... more Drones (also called unmanned aerial vehicles or systems—UAVs or UAS) are becoming more common along the US-Mexico border as Mexican cartel assets. While typically considered a tool for smuggling [1], they are increasingly seen as having application for other purposes including espionage, surveillance, and as weapons
The drug trafficking faction (facção) in the "Complexo de Israel" (Israel Compl... more The drug trafficking faction (facção) in the "Complexo de Israel" (Israel Complex) led by Álvaro Malaquias Santa Rosa, known as Peixão (Big Fish) built a bridge over a canal in Rio de Janeiro's Zona Norte (North Zone) to elude police surveillance. The bridge connects the Favela das Cinco Bocas, in Brás de Pina, to Cidade Alta, in Cordovil.
Operational Environment Watch provides translated selections and analysis from a diverse range of... more Operational Environment Watch provides translated selections and analysis from a diverse range of foreign articles and other media that our analysts and expert contributors believe will give military and security professionals an added dimension to their critical thinking about the Operational Environment. On 28 July, El Salvadoran authorities seized dozens of businesses, froze bank accounts, and arrested 77 gang members associated with Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13
Concerns over the changing nature of gangs and cartels and their relationships to states in the l... more Concerns over the changing nature of gangs and cartels and their relationships to states in the late 20th and early 21st centuries has resulted in the emergence of a scholarly body of work focused on their national security threat potentials. This body of work, utilizing the third generation gangs and third phase cartel typologies, represents an alternative to traditional gang and organized crime research and one that is increasingly influencing the US defense community. Rather than being viewed only as misguided youth and opportunistic criminals or, in their mature forms, as criminal organizations with no broader social or political agendas, more evolved gangs and cartels, are instead seen as developing political, mercenary, and state-challenging capacities. This evolutionary process has emerged due to the growing illicit economy and other unintended consequences of globalization.https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgu_facbooks/1012/thumbnail.jp
Narco-Submarines Specially Fabricated Vessels Used For Drug Smuggling Purposes Byron Ramirez and ... more Narco-Submarines Specially Fabricated Vessels Used For Drug Smuggling Purposes Byron Ramirez and Robert J. Bunker, Editors Foreign Military Studies Office, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas TRADOC G-2 In cooperation with Small Wars Journal--El Centro and Insight Crime. 164 pp. Byron Ramirez (PhD candidate) is a SWJ El Centro Intern and Dr. Robert J. Bunker is a SWJ El Centro Senior Fellow. This document represents the most extensive OSINT (open source intelligence) dataset and analysis of narco submarines that presently exists. Narco-Submarines Specially Fabricated Vessels Used For Drug Smuggling Purposes
Abstract This article is intended to serve as a ‘think piece’ which invites readers to view curre... more Abstract This article is intended to serve as a ‘think piece’ which invites readers to view current perceived changes to the conduct of modern warfare in the broader historical light outlined by proponents of epochal change theory. Neo-medievalists have gone a step in this direction and posited that these changes represent the future of warfare and are evidence of a return, in a sense, to the primary tenets of political and social organization that existed in the period commonly referred to as the Middle Ages. The contention herein is that the answer gains more accuracy if one takes a much longer historical standpoint beginning with classical civilization and moving through the medieval period to our modern world. With regard to the present, this epochal warfare analysis projects that a shift from a Westphalian to post-Westphalian global system is underway. During this period of transition – as in the transition periods between epochs which have preceded it – the dominant state form undergoes a deinstitutionalization process, and war is less about traditional issues of state sovereignty, and instead increasingly over ‘what the new form of social and political organization will be’.
This essay provides an overview of those incidents of torture and beheadings linked to the Mexica... more This essay provides an overview of those incidents of torture and beheadings linked to the Mexican cartels and their mercenary and gang affiliates taking place both within Mexico and the United States. Specific forms of torture are discussed as well as the most likely victims and perpetrators. Beheadings, primarily taking place only in Mexico, are also analyzed with supporting database
... View all notes. Examples of this criminal takeover are Bolivia under General Luis Garcia Meza... more ... View all notes. Examples of this criminal takeover are Bolivia under General Luis Garcia Meza (19801981) whose coup was funded largely ... Asher, DL (2005) 'The North Korean Criminal State, its Ties to Organized Crime, and the Possibility of WMD Proliferation', Policy Forum ...
Operational Environment Watch provides translated selections and analysis from a diverse range of... more Operational Environment Watch provides translated selections and analysis from a diverse range of foreign articles and other media that our analysts and expert contributors believe will give military and security professionals an added dimension to their critical thinking about the Operational Environment. Derived from insurgent social media, a training video obtained from the capture of an ISIS courier and provided to the British news source Sky News demonstrates that ISIS and Syrian rebels are increasingly developing improvised robotic weaponry. According to the reporting, in many instances militants are using scrap material to repair or piece together to produce a makeshift armored vehicle or alternative forms of weaponry
Operational Environment Watch provides translated selections and analysis from a diverse range of... more Operational Environment Watch provides translated selections and analysis from a diverse range of foreign articles and other media that our analysts and expert contributors believe will give military and security professionals an added dimension to their critical thinking about the Operational Environment. In mid-April Mexican authorities seized weapons, drugs, and exotic animals in possession of La Linea cartel in Nuevos Casas Grandes, Chihuahua. Among the weapons was a guided missile launcher recovered from a stolen vehicle located outside an apartment complex
This short essay provides a projection of the future operational environment (2035-2050)-through ... more This short essay provides a projection of the future operational environment (2035-2050)-through the fictional Project WICKED-and its impact on US Army warfighting through the lens of Fourth Epoch War theory. This OSINT fusion-based theory has been utilized since the early 1990s to support US LE, MIL, and GOV activities including Minerva (DoD), Futures Working Group (FBI/PFI), and Los Angeles Terrorism Early Warning Group (LA Sheriff's) programs.
The use of anti-vehicle land mines by criminal cartels is now part of Mexico’s violent criminal l... more The use of anti-vehicle land mines by criminal cartels is now part of Mexico’s violent criminal landscape. This phase of improvised explosive devices represents an escalation of improvised explosive device (IED) use against state forces and criminal rivals. Essentially, improvised land (anti-vehicle) mines are being deployed for defensive purposes. That is, they are used to protect small urban enclaves under cartel control from Mexican Federal forces (police and military) and rival cartels or autodefensas (self-defense forces). The Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) is at the center of these defensive measures used to blunt offensive actions by their rivals.
Word on the Street (Urban Violence Research Network), Jul 14, 2022
Criminal Armed Groups (CAGs) in Brazil are engaged in violent competition with each other and the... more Criminal Armed Groups (CAGs) in Brazil are engaged in violent competition with each other and the state. For Brazil, these conflicts not only engender high levels of violence among all participants but lead to actual and perceived insecurity that challenges perceptions of state legitimacy. This 'credibility gap' creates a vacuum where criminal enterprises provide criminal governance in places instead of (and actually in addition to) the state at all levels. The result is a patchwork of 'stratified' sovereignty where the various actors-state and criminal-vie for competitive control. The groups in the quest for autonomy, power, and control include the state and its political and judicial organs-such as the police and at times the military (at federal, state, and municipal levels) and criminal factions (facções criminosas), territorial gangs (gangues), and militias (milícias) that seek to control Brazil's streets and favelas (slums) and prisons.
Aerial drones, once the domain of states alone, have become standard features of the arsenals oft... more Aerial drones, once the domain of states alone, have become standard features of the arsenals ofterrorists, insurgents, and guerrillas. These actors find the flexibility of aerial drones appealing. But they are not the only ones: As we discuss in our new book Criminal Drone Evolution, criminal and cartel uses of small weaponized drones are increasingly in the news. Cartel commandos are attacking rival gangs and security forces with armed drones, enhancing their combat power. We can clearly track their technological and tactical progress on this front. It is a part of the increased tactical and operational sophistication of criminal groups in Mexico's crime wars. This violent conflict goes well beyond typical criminal violence, including terrorist tactics, infantry operations, and barbarization in a quest for territorial control, power, and profit. At times,
The COVID-19 pandemic is a global tragedy. In addition to causing an extreme level of sickness an... more The COVID-19 pandemic is a global tragedy. In addition to causing an extreme level of sickness and death, it has a broad destabilizing effect on the international economy and politics. Profound changes in how we live, exercise political rights, and interact with the illicit (criminal) economy are already underway. The COVID-19 pandemic has created opportunities and challenges for states (governments) and organized criminal groups (OCGs) worldwide, including criminal armed groups (CAGs) such as gangs, militias, and mafias. The future of state governance and political capacity in the pandemic’s disruptive path is challenged by inflamed political passions on all sides, leading to extremism, potential conflict, and the consolidation of criminal economic and political power.
A car bomb (coche bomba or carro bomba) was detonated in front of a police station in Santander d... more A car bomb (coche bomba or carro bomba) was detonated in front of a police station in Santander de Quilichao, about 30 miles south of Cali, Colombia. The nighttime attack was attributed to the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG)-a Mexican cartel with personnel and mercenary affiliates operating in Colombia-killing three police officers and injuring at least 10 more. If CJNG proves to be involved with the attack even if indirectly (e.g. contracted out to BACRIM and/or ex-FARC guerrillas), represents a significant escalation of coercive force utilized by that cartel in Colombia and signifies possibility of future potential car bomb use by this and other cartels within Mexico.
On 16 July 2019, “Los Angeles-Based” members of MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha 13) were named by the Uni... more On 16 July 2019, “Los Angeles-Based” members of MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha 13) were named by the United States Attorney for the Central District of California in a Federal racketeering case for a series of brutal murders in the Los Angeles area. These acts include crimes in the San Fernando Valley and the Angeles National Forest. The ‘clique’ involved in these incident is known as the ‘Fultons’ and they are active in the San Fernando Valley. In one particularly barbaric case, it is alleged that a rival gang member believed to have defaced MS-13 graffiti was abducted, transported to a remote location in the Angeles National Forest, and attacked by six gangsters with a machete. The victim was then dismembered, his heart cut out, and his body parts thrown into a canyon.[
Over the last few months, Colombian army and police have discovered factories operated by the Cla... more Over the last few months, Colombian army and police have discovered factories operated by the Clan del Golfo engaged in producing and stockpiling antipersonnel mines and explosive devices. In addition, cases of Colombian soldiers sustaining injuries from antipersonnel mines have been documented. These cases illustrate the ongoing, and apparently growing, threat—initially disclosed in an alert made by the Colombian Army in May 2013—of antipersonnel mines employed by criminal organizations or bandes criminals (criminal bands or bacrim).
Two members of El Salvador’s national civil police, the Policía Nacional Civil (PNC), were injure... more Two members of El Salvador’s national civil police, the Policía Nacional Civil (PNC), were injured when a car exploded after they responded to a report of a dead body left in an abandoned car. The incident occurred in Colonia Montes de San Barolo 3 in Soyapango on Monday, 29 April 2019. Members of Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) are suspected to have detonated an explosive secreted in the vehicle in an anti-personnel attack directed against the police.
The arrests on racketeering charges of over a dozen members and associates of the Primeiro Comand... more The arrests on racketeering charges of over a dozen members and associates of the Primeiro Comando da Massachusetts (PCM) [First Command of Massachusetts], a gang with ties to Brazil, in Eastern Massachusetts highlights the potential for transnational gang networks to emerge within criminal diasporas. This note documents the first significant case of Brazilian gang emergence in the United States.
The Cártel de Santa Rosa de Lima (CSRL), also known as the Cártel de Guanajuato, Cártel de Santa ... more The Cártel de Santa Rosa de Lima (CSRL), also known as the Cártel de Guanajuato, Cártel de Santa Rosa, or el Cártel del Marro, is a criminal cartel operating in the Mexican state of Guanajuato (Gto.). Its principle enterprise is huachicol or fuel theft. The competition for the illicit petroleum trade has led to violent conflict with their rival—the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). This tactical note reviews the symbology (logos and symbols) used by the CSRL.
Officials in Guanajuato (Gto.) state have confirmed that alleged huachicolero (fuel theft) capo J... more Officials in Guanajuato (Gto.) state have confirmed that alleged huachicolero (fuel theft) capo José Antonio Yépez Ortiz, known as “El Marro,” is believed to have eluded capture on Monday 6 March 2019 by escaping through a series of tunnels. The presence of a functional tunnel network to further fuel theft operations by the Cártel Santa Rosa de Lima (CSRL) illustrates the tactical complexities of underground/tunnel operations in counter-cartel operations.
A narcomanta (narco-banner) threatening Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) if F... more A narcomanta (narco-banner) threatening Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) if Federal security forces are not removed from Guantajuato state was posted in Salamanca, Guanajuato (Gto), Mexico on the morning of 31 January 2019. Shortly after the narcomanta was found, a pickup truck containing explosives was discovered parked in front of a nearby oil refinery. Initial reports discounted the presence of an explosive device, claiming the incident was a hoax, but later reports confirmed the presence of actual explosives. The region has been the site of violent competition between the Cártel de Santa Rosa Lima (CSRL) and Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).
Select Mexican military and federal police units have been utilizing body cams for some years now... more Select Mexican military and federal police units have been utilizing body cams for some years now for after action review, prosecutorial, and public informational (i.e., state narrative) purposes. Such use has taken place at least since January 2016 (the ‘El Chapo’ takedown) per YouTube posted footage, if not earlier—in their raids on cartel kingpins and operatives.[1] In what may represent an Indications and Warning (I&W) incident, the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel (Cártel Santa Rosa de Lima or CSRL, Cártel de Santa Rosa or CSR, SRL; aka Cártel de Guanajuato) has now utilized a GoPro body cam in a recent tactical action against the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and posted the video imagery (and accompanying audio) to its online social media. In essence, the CSRL GoPro video posting elevated this tactical action into First Person Shooter (FPS) type immersive activity—a form of social media tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) usage believed to have not previously been employed by a Mexican cartel. Thus, this appears to be the first documented use of this immersive FPS TTP.
A gang fight that started on board the New York City (NYC) Subway No. 7 train bound for Manhattan... more A gang fight that started on board the New York City (NYC) Subway No. 7 train bound for Manhattan spilled out on to the station platform at 90 Street-Elmhurst Avenue Station on the IRT Flushing Line in Queens. The victim, 20-year-old Abel Mosso, was identified as a member of the 18th Street gang. His alleged killer is a member of the rival MS-13 gang. Both gangs are active in the neighborhoods surrounding the elevated subway station in the New York City borough of Queens. The City of New York Police Department (NYPD) and the Queens County District Attorney are investigating the murder.
Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) is a well-known and extremely violent street, and in Central America, pr... more Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) is a well-known and extremely violent street, and in Central America, prison gang with an estimated transnational membership of 50,000 to 70,000 individuals. Essentially a transnational gang network, MS-13 maintains a relatively robust media presence due to its ongoing criminal activities within the United States, many of which have resulted in homicides and even torture killings, as the gang continues to expand into new communities in Texas and the East Coast of the United States. The gang is organized on a networked, i.e. biological (and/or software program) based model with open architecture ‘plug ins’ that utilize a cellular synapse/and open coding-like strategy that facilitates network linkages and alliances, i.e., interfaces with violent non-state actors (VNSAs).
Violent attacks have rocked the Brazilian state of Ceará as a coalition of gangs — including the ... more Violent attacks have rocked the Brazilian state of Ceará as a coalition of gangs — including the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), Comando Vermelho (CV), and their local counterparts Guardiões do Estado (GDE), and Família do Norte (FDN) — waged a reprisal against state forces after the new prison administration announced enhanced security measures in the state prisons. The city of Fortaleza has been the focal point of the ‘violent lobbying’[1] Since 2 January, 205 criminal attacks have occurred in 46 cities in Ceará and about 360 individuals have been arrested. Ceara’s security forces have been reinforced with the assistance of the Polícia Rodoviária Federal (PRF or Federal Highway Police). The attacks have included bombings and arson directed against vehicles (including buses and school transportation), police stations, public buildings, bridges, businesses, and banks.
On Tuesday, 10 July 2018, an armed drone targeted the residence of Gerardo Sosa Olachea, the publ... more On Tuesday, 10 July 2018, an armed drone targeted the residence of Gerardo Sosa Olachea, the public safety secretary/Secretario de Seguridad Pública Estalal (SSPE) of Baja California, in colonia Los Laureles in Tecate—a border city in the San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan area. A second drone, which may have been utilized for ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) and C2 purposes, was seen over the incident scene. At least one of the drones was equipped with a video camera link and was armed with two IEDs that did not detonate. For a number of international security professionals tracking cartel and gang violence in Mexico—including the authors of this note—an incident like this has been expected for some time now, given the earlier I&W (Indications & Warnings) event that took place in Guanajunto state in October 2017 when a weaponized drone was seized from Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) operatives.
Mexico’s General Election will be held on 1 July 2018. This year’s election will include the Pres... more Mexico’s General Election will be held on 1 July 2018. This year’s election will include the Presidential election for the new Sexenio as well as for 128 members of the Senate and 500 members of the Chamber of Deputies. State and local elections are also being held for 8 governors, the head of government for Mexico City, and a variety of municipal officials, including mayors, municipal judges, and council members. A significant number of politicians and candidates have been killed in election-related attacks from organized crime groups in the build up to the election.
The emergence of the dissident MS-503 organization, while still relatively small in size and infl... more The emergence of the dissident MS-503 organization, while still relatively small in size and influence due to the immediate depuration of various insubordinate MS-13 cliques, has a number of potentially significant implications for MS-13 going into the future. The first is, if MS-503 is able to seize territory and expand within areas of Mexico, it will do so in direct opposition to MS-13 Northbound human smuggling and Southbound marijuana and small arms trafficking illicit economic interests. Natural allies for MS-503 for such an endeavor would be entities competing with the MS-13 allied Sinaloa or Zetas cartels—such as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
Competition in Order and Progress examines the competition in statemaking between criminal enterp... more Competition in Order and Progress examines the competition in statemaking between criminal enterprises (gangs, militias, and criminal armed groups) and the state. The title builds from Brazil's motto Ordem e Progresso to capture the dynamics of state transition in Brazil's favelas, prisons, and beyond.
This curated collection Illicit Tactical Progress: Mexican Cartel Tactical Notes 2013-2020 chroni... more This curated collection Illicit Tactical Progress: Mexican Cartel Tactical Notes 2013-2020 chronicling documenting the evolution of tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by Mexican cartels and criminal armed groups (CAGs).
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and fears of the spread of the coronavirus through Rio de Ja... more In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and fears of the spread of the coronavirus through Rio de Janeiro’s densely populated favelas local gangs (gangues) and militias (milícias) are imposing social controls in the form of curfews to limit the spread of the disease. The Red Command (Comando Vermelho) gang is specifically mentioned in this context with numerous reports discussing their imposition of a coronavirus curfew in the Cidade de Deus (City of God) favela while the role of other gangs and militias is suggested in the reportage.
Strategic Notes on Third Generation Gangs builds upon the third generation street gang (3Gen Gang... more Strategic Notes on Third Generation Gangs builds upon the third generation street gang (3Gen Gang) theory first articulated in a series of papers by John P. Sullivan in 1997. From that foundation, Dr. Sullivan and Dr. Robert J. Bunker, editors of this volume, and others have expanded that core to articulate the threat that sophisticated gangs with transnational reach and political dimensions pose to community, national, and global security. This Small Wars Journal-El Centro Anthology provides empirical depth to their theoretical perspective, bringing together strategic notes and essays on third generation gangs and military-trained gang members with new content assessing the theoretical and policy ramifications of both theory and reality on the ground. — Dave Dilegge, SWJ Editor-in-Chief
The importance of this eBook is that it provides a depository of information (both textual and vi... more The importance of this eBook is that it provides a depository of information (both textual and visual) concerning the Zetas cartel’s large-scale C2 communications network as well as providing additional information on the creation of a later close circuit television (CCTV) system constructed by remnants of the Gulf Cartel. This reader consists of an acronym listing, 10 readings, an image gallery, three appendices, an image gallery addendum of outside of/post project equipment seizure incidents, and Spanish references.
The work is divided into an introduction to this subject matter, the placing of Rumiyah in contex... more The work is divided into an introduction to this subject matter, the placing of Rumiyah in context with an overview of the magazine and the new Islamic State eBooks promoted within it, a comparative analysis of the themes and narratives found within each issue focusing on the topical areas of end state, enemy, recruitment, and TTPs (generalized), and a selected study of IS attacks directed against the West and their interrelationship to Rumiyah. It also provides a discussion of the ‘Just Terror’ tactics promoted in the magazine, and provides U.S. governmental recommendations to counter and mitigate the production and distribution of the magazine as well as its effects upon its readership and the violent outcomes expressed in terrorist actions. A comprehensive glossary of Arabic terms and jargon utilized in the magazine—which provides for a better understanding of Islamic State worldviews and also for deeper understanding of the individual magazine issues when independently read—is also included at the end of this text.
Los Caballeros Templarios de Michoacán: Imagery, Symbolism, and Narratives, 2019
The 279 page edited work "Los Caballeros Templarios de Michoacán: Imagery, Symbolism, and Narrati... more The 279 page edited work "Los Caballeros Templarios de Michoacán: Imagery, Symbolism, and Narratives" is divided into a preface, introduction, twelve chapters, postscript, imagery data set, four appendices, selected references, and further readings. It is a Small Wars Journal-El Centro eBook (Small Wars Foundation) edited by Robert J. Bunker and Alma Keshavarz. The Templarios cartel is an understudied group and it is hoped that this effort has shed some light on their spiritual-criminal activities and the threat this signified to both the Mexican state and its broader society. This cross-disciplinary work represents a unique fusion of organized crime and insurgency (criminal & spiritual) focused scholarship blended with contributors with religious (and magico-religious) studies expertise. The experts contributing to it collectively recognize and challenge exclusive narco secular status quo perceptions, finding that not all cartel activity taking place is simply secular in nature and devoid of any underlying spiritual motivations.
Blood and Concrete: 21st Century Conflict in Urban Centers and Megacities provides a foundation f... more Blood and Concrete: 21st Century Conflict in Urban Centers and Megacities provides a foundation for understanding urban operations and sustaining urban warfare research. This Small Wars Journal (SWJ) Anthology documents over a decade of writings on urban conflict. In addition to essays originally published at SWJ it adds new content including an introduction by the editors, a preface on “Blood and Concrete” by David Kilcullen, a foreword "Urban Warfare Studies" by John Spencer, a postscript “Cities in the Crossfire: The Rise of Urban Violence” by Margarita Konaev, and an afterword “Urban Operations: Meeting Challenges, Seizing Opportunities, Improving the Approach” by Russell W. Glenn. These essays frame the discussion found in the collection’s remaining 49 chapters. Blood and Concrete continues the legacy of Small Was Journal's coverage of urban operations, conflict and combat. — Dave Dilegge, Robert J. Bunker, John P. Sullivan, and Alma Keshavarz, Editors.
This book is our sixth Small Wars Journal—El Centro anthology, covering writings published betwee... more This book is our sixth Small Wars Journal—El Centro anthology, covering writings published between 2016 and 2017. The theme of this anthology pertains to the rise of the narcostate (mafia states) as a result of the collusion between criminal organizations and political elites—essentially authoritarian regime members, corrupted plutocrats, and other powerful societal elements. The cover image of the mass demonstration concerning the disappearance of the forty-three Ayotzinapa Teachers’ College students held at Mexico City’s Zócalo Plaza in November 2014 provides an archetype of this anthology’s theme. This anthology includes the following special essays—Preface: “New Wars” and State Transformation by Robert Muggah, Igarapé Institute; Foreword: Crime and State-Making by Vanda Felbab-Brown, The Brookings Institution; Postscript: Crime, Drugs, Terror, and Money: Time for Hybrids by Alain Bauer, CNAM Paris; and Afterword: The Rise of the Oligarchs by Col. Robert Killebrew, US Army (Ret.). Dave Dilegge (SWJ, Editor-in-Chief)
This Small Wars Journal - El Centro Anthology is the Fifth in a series. It includes submissions ... more This Small Wars Journal - El Centro Anthology is the Fifth in a series. It includes submissions to the journal regarding criminal insurgency, crime, and conflict in Mexico and Latin America as well as a foreward, introduction, and Postscript.
On Sunday, 21 July 2024, Milton Morales Figueroa, general coordinator for the tactical strategyan... more On Sunday, 21 July 2024, Milton Morales Figueroa, general coordinator for the tactical strategyand special operations unit of the Secretaría de Seguridad Ciudadana la Ciudad de México (Secretary of Citizen Security of Mexico City) (SSC-CDMX), was assassinated in themunicipality of Coacalco, Estado de México (Edomex). Morales Figueroa was a key intelligence official in the fight against organized crime.
On Thursday, 25 July 2024, American law enforcement officials arrested Ismael, ‘El Mayo,’ Zambada... more On Thursday, 25 July 2024, American law enforcement officials arrested Ismael, ‘El Mayo,’ Zambada García and Joaquín Guzmán López in El Paso, Texas. The two men are prominent leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel and were detained in a private airfield. Both suspects, and their criminal cartel are allegedly linked to drug trafficking—especially trade in fentanyl and methamphetamine.
The Islamic State Khorasan (ISK)—and the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS)—have been embol... more The Islamic State Khorasan (ISK)—and the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS)—have been emboldened since the March 2024 Crocus City Hall attack in the Moscow metropolitan region. In an attempt to exploit that incident, threat messaging (via posters; images) against European and now United States sports venues has taken place over the last two months. These involve threats of ground attacks using IS Just Terror TTPs (published in Rumiyah) and increasingly are combined with threats of stand-alone weaponized drone (IED carrying) attacks and dual ground based and weaponized drone assaults on sports arenas. The intent of these threats is for propaganda purposes to generate terror within the West along with the promotion of Salafist-jihadi recruitment and fund- raising activities. The threat of weaponized drone attacks by ISK and ISIS against Europe and the US represents the crossing of a significant firebreak in their perception of the terrorism potentials unmanned aerial systems (UAS) now offer.
On Monday, 22 April 2024 two paramedics in Celaya, Guanajuato were killed when alleged members of... more On Monday, 22 April 2024 two paramedics in Celaya, Guanajuato were killed when alleged members of a criminal armed group (CAG) attacked ambulances believed to be linked to their rivals. This attack included armed assault and arson. It occurred during a spike in violence between rival criminal cartels. The violent surge also included fatal attacks on police.
In early-to-mid March 2024, allegations of mass cannibalism taking place in the streets of Haiti ... more In early-to-mid March 2024, allegations of mass cannibalism taking place in the streets of Haiti spread across the international press. These allegations took place within the backdrop of full-scale state failure in Port-au-Prince and the rest of the nation which saw prisons overrun and emptied of their inmates, the international airport coming under siege, and ongoing street battles between heavily armed gang members and governmental police and security forces. Ultimately, an alliance of gangs under the leadership of Jimmy Cherizier (Babekyou; BBQ), head of the G9 coalition, successfully engaged in a criminal insurgency which overthrew the existing government under Prime Minister Ariel Henry. While this situation-reminiscent of a 3GEN Gangs (Third Generation Gangs) dystopian nightmare[1]-is undisputed, the allegations of mass cannibalism taking place in the streets suggests an even greater descent into barbarism and, potentially, dark spirituality. The question to be answered is what the actual ground truth is concerning these allegations.
On Thursday 29 February 2024, engagements took place between Mexican Army (SEDENA) personnel and ... more On Thursday 29 February 2024, engagements took place between Mexican Army (SEDENA) personnel and Jalisco New Generation Cartel (Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación − CJNG) gunmen in the Aguililla, Michoacán region. These engagements included firefights and weaponized drone attacks on SEDENA forces and the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in an anti- personnel land mine role. During the sweep of a CJNG camp, a land mine was detonated which killed four soldiers and seriously wounded nine more. The use of land mines by CJNG has been an ongoing activity for some years now, however, these munitions are starting to proliferate to other cartels with another incident taking place just last month in Zipoco, Jalisco.[1]
C/O Futures Terrorism Research Note Series. , 2023
On 19 November 2023, Houthi extremists deployed a 'team of commandos' who engaged in a helicopter... more On 19 November 2023, Houthi extremists deployed a 'team of commandos' who engaged in a helicopter assault in the hijacking of the commercial ship Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea. The quick operation secured the vessel which, along with its crew, was then escorted by armed Houthi speed boats to the Yemenis port of Hodeidah. The Houthis effectively declared war on Israel on 31 October in a widening of the Israeli-HAMAS war initiated by HAMAS via its 7 October massacre and mass hostage taking launched from GAZA. The Houthis, who are allied to Hezbollah and Iran, are now launching drones and ballistic and cruise missiles at Israel and are increasingly targeting Israeli linked merchant vessels in coastal areas where the Houthis have an air and naval presence.[2]
In a recent engagement on Sunday 19 November 2023 between the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación ... more In a recent engagement on Sunday 19 November 2023 between the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and the Mexican Army (SEDENA) in Teocaltiche, Jalisco, a CJNG improvised armored fighting vehicle (IAFV) was recovered with an anti-drone 'cope cage' welded over the front cab and hood of the vehicle. This is the first known incident in which a 'cope cage' has been seen fitted onto a Mexican cartel IAFV. This defensive measure is intended to protect a fighting vehicle from top-down attack by providing standoff protection by means of missile and bomblet pre-detonation. Given that the Mexican Army does not field weaponized drones with aerial bombardment capability (or, for that matter, IED point detonation), this represents a defensive TTP being used as a counter to opposing Mexican cartel drone combat capabilities which are proliferating.
On 7-8 November 2023, two Brazilian nationals linked to Hezbollah were sequentially arrested in S... more On 7-8 November 2023, two Brazilian nationals linked to Hezbollah were sequentially arrested in São Paulo over the course of two days in Operação Trapiche (Operation Wherehouse). The individuals were arrested pre-emptively during the planning stage prior to engaging in attacks against Jewish and Israeli governmental targets—such as synagogues and the Israeli Embassy— in Brazil. A third individual was later arrested as the operation expanded in scope. Precedent exists for Hezbollah-linked (and directed) attacks taking place in Brazil against Jewish and Israeli interests back in the early-to-mid 1990s. This new round of terrorism in Brazil was prompted by the 7 Ocotber 2023 HAMAS massacre and kidnapping of Israeli citizens launched from Gaza and the subsequent Israel Defense Forces (IDF) response. Hezbollah is in a close knit alliance with HAMAS with this incident extending the conflict into Latin America.
C/O Futures Cartel Research Note Series, Oct 15, 2023
Multiple Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) improvised armored fighting vehicles (IAFVs) h... more Multiple Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) improvised armored fighting vehicles (IAFVs) have been reported to now be outfitted with M134 miniguns as their main armament. The confirmation of the existence of one of these miniguns took place in August 2023 during a meeting engagement between a CJNG convoy and SEDENA forces in Jalisco state. These weapons serve to further strengthen the security rings around the CJNG leader “El Mencho” and bolster the firepower of CJNG IAFV based operational forces. The inclusion of the M134s in cartel arsenals further portray the ongoing main armament evolution of narco IAFVs and their growing importance in the criminal insurgencies taking place in Mexico.
The Mexican cartels have been utilizing weaponized drones since October 2017 with the Cártel de J... more The Mexican cartels have been utilizing weaponized drones since October 2017 with the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) the leader in this area of illicit tactical innovation. As various cartels have been targeting each other with this weaponry the expectation exists that dedicated counter-drone capabilities, beyond small arms fires, would start to appear in their arsenals. While no proclamation from CJNG exists related to counter-unmanned aerial systems (CUAS) being possessed by that cartel, imagery is beginning to appear—from an indications & warning (I&W) perspective—that they are now being sporadically fielded.
C/O Futures Cartel Research Note Series, Jul 8, 2023
Eight Mexican Army (SEDENA) soldiers were injured when their tactical pickup truck drove through ... more Eight Mexican Army (SEDENA) soldiers were injured when their tactical pickup truck drove through a minefield (campo minado) setting off an improvised anti-vehicle mine (IAVM). Four of the soldiers were seriously injured. This incident occurred on 18 June 2023 on a dirt road near Apatzingán, Michoacán. The area has been contested by a number of organized criminal entities including the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), Carteles Unidos (CU), Los Viagras, La Familia Michoacana (LFM) and Los Caballeros Templarios (Knights Templar). The CJNG, which has used artisanal mines in the past, is the main suspect in this incident.
On 22 April 2023, a Sinaloa Cartel (Cártel de Sinaloa; CDS) ambush used a weaponized drone attack... more On 22 April 2023, a Sinaloa Cartel (Cártel de Sinaloa; CDS) ambush used a weaponized drone attack (aerial bombardment) in Teocaltiche, Jalisco on Calle Juárez (Juárez Street) next to the intersection with Pensador Mexicano. A mobile element belonging to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación; CJNG) was targeted, resulting in their vehicle being set on fire and their personnel needing to engage in escape and evasion (E&E) tactics. This is the first documented incident in which the Sinaloa Cartel has overtly utilized weaponized drones and can be considered another firebreak crossed concerning weaponized drone use proliferation amongst the Mexican cartels.
Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) has been at the forefront of Mexican cartel drone usage si... more Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) has been at the forefront of Mexican cartel drone usage since at least late 2017 with an ever-increasing use of these systems for ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance), propaganda, and IED (improvised explosive device) attack purposes. Recent imagery from April 2023 suggests that CJNG has now institutionalized drone usage in a specialized "Drone Operators" (Operadores Droneros) unit shown via a unit patch worn on their 'cartel uniform' (e.g. body armor battle kit). This unit patch may have appeared as early as November 2021 in CJNG related videos but had not been previously identified due to the low quality of the imagery resolution.
Supporting Hearing Entitled: Follow the Money: The CCP’s Business Model Fueling the Fentanyl Crisis, 2023
Finances and International Financial Institutions. The Fentanyl Crisis presents a multifaceted pr... more Finances and International Financial Institutions. The Fentanyl Crisis presents a multifaceted problem to the United States, including threats to public health, community stability, and national security. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can be obtained through legal sources or produced illicitly by criminal enterprises. In 2021, over 106,000 people in the US died from drug overdose, with fentanyl and similar synthetic opioids the most prevalent cause of death.
On Thursday, 5 January 2023, Mexican security forces arrested Ovidio Guzmán López, a key member o... more On Thursday, 5 January 2023, Mexican security forces arrested Ovidio Guzmán López, a key member of the Los Chapitos faction of the Cártel del Pacífico, commonly known as the Cártel de Sinaloa (Sinaloa Cartel or CDS), in the Jesús María district of Culiacán, Sinaloa. He is also known by the moniker "El Raton" (The Mouse) and has a heavily armed bodyguard unit protecting him called Las Fuerzas Especiales Ratón (Mouse's Special Forces). Guzmán's arrest triggered a cartel counterattack and widespread violence throughout Culiacán and throughout parts of Sinaloa and neighboring Sonora where the cartel has a presence. Guzmán was transported to Altiplano prison (Centro Federal de Readaptación Social Número 1) in Mexico City pending prosecution.
The Guardia Nacional (National Guard; GN), in cooperation with the Ejército Mexicano (Mexican Arm... more The Guardia Nacional (National Guard; GN), in cooperation with the Ejército Mexicano (Mexican Army), seized over ninety drone bomblets belonging to an organized criminal group in the municipality of Buenavista Tomatlán, Michoacán. The location of the munitions cache, supported by forensic analysis conducted by C/O Futures, suggests that the bomblets belonged to the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and were meant for weaponized drone use. CJNG has been involved in the deployment of weaponized drones since at least October 2017 when an improvised explosive drone ('dron bomba') was first recovered in Valtierrilla, Guanajuato.[1]
Areas controlled by criminal armed groups (CAGs) in Rio de Janeiro grew by 131% over the past 16 ... more Areas controlled by criminal armed groups (CAGs) in Rio de Janeiro grew by 131% over the past 16 years according to a new study released jointly by the Instituto Fogo Cruzado (Cross-Fire Institute), Grupo de Estudos dos Novos Ilegalismos (Study Group for New Illegalisms) at Universidade Federal Fluminense (Fluminense Federal University) (GENI/UFF) on 13 September 2022. Militias were the fastest growing group, expanding rapidly in suburbs while narcotrafficking gangs retained control of favelas.
On Thursday 11 August 2022, an Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-K) operative engaged in a suic... more On Thursday 11 August 2022, an Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-K) operative engaged in a suicide bombing which resulted in the assassination of the Taliban official Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani in Kabul, Afghanistan. The one-legged attacker detonated an IED (cavity bomb) secreted in a prosthetic leg which allowed him to circumvent Haqqani’s guards. This high value target had escaped earlier ISK assassination attempts. He was a vocal critic of that terrorist group which is a sworn enemy of both the Taliban and their Al Qaeda allies.
C/O Futures Dark Spirituality Imagery Archive, 2022
An individual, Elmer Antonio Salazar, was arrested by personnel of the 1st Air Brigade (Personal ... more An individual, Elmer Antonio Salazar, was arrested by personnel of the 1st Air Brigade (Personal de la 1ra. Brigada Aérea) of the Armed Forces of El Salvador (FAES; Fuerza Armada de El Salvador) for selling illicit drugs. He had $270.00 cash on him from his drug proceeds—assumed to be via marijuana sales. While trying to escape from authorities, he ran into a house containing a Satanic altar (altar diabólico / altar satánico ) which, in actuality is a personal Santa Muerte altar. He was subsequently turned over to the National Civil Police (PNC; Policía Nacional Civil) as he began the booking and criminal justice arraignment process.
Laser pointers, or counter-optical lasers, have been used against law enforcement officers and em... more Laser pointers, or counter-optical lasers, have been used against law enforcement officers and emergency responders during protests and incidents of civil unrest. Lasers pose a threat to responding personnel by disrupting or degrading human vision. Lasers can interrupt a tactical response by startling, distracting, or causing a diversion and can also disable surveillance cameras, inhibit facial recognition systems, and interfere with drone operations (Unmanned Aerial Systems).
The author of The Terrorist Image, Dr. Charlie Winter, is presently the Chief Research Officer an... more The author of The Terrorist Image, Dr. Charlie Winter, is presently the Chief Research Officer and Co-Founder of ExTrac (which uses AI supported systems to analyze violent extremist data), holds a number of associate fellow and senior research positions with various universities and programs, and is a subject matter expert on the relationship between propaganda and insurgency.[1] The work, derived from his doctoral thesis, utilizes imagery taken from official Islamic State media distribution products. This curated data set comprising many dozens of images (included in the work in glossy black and white form) is taken from over 17,000 photographs collected by the author from his research spanning the 2015-2017 period. While some graphic photographs have been analyzed in the work, the pictures themselves have been omitted. The research behind the book, funded by Facebook, can be considered a unique one-off endeavor and representative of one of the more sophisticated IS narrative (i.e. internally and externally PSYOPs focused) works published to date.
Adam Baird, the author of the work From South Central to Southside, holds a PhD in Sociology from... more Adam Baird, the author of the work From South Central to Southside, holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Bradford. He works for the United Nations (UN) with a research focus on Conventional Arms and Ammunition and is also a Research Fellow with the London School of Economics (LSE) with a focus on Guatemala.[1] He is also "a globally recognised expert in masculinities and recently developed the concepts of 'chronic vulnerability' and 'masculine vulnerability' to explain the persistence of violence in poor urban communities."[2] The work represents his first academic book effort and is extremely well structured, researched, and written...
Review and analysis COVID-19, Gangs, and Conflict, 2021
• Review and analysis of the book coordinates by John P. Sullivan and Robert J. Bunker,. Questo l... more • Review and analysis of the book coordinates by John P. Sullivan and Robert J. Bunker,. Questo libro è il prodotto finale di Small Wars Journal e El Centro Reader, con il contributo di un nutrito gruppo di validi studiosi e specialisti in materia di gruppi criminali, mafie, cartelli narcos, ordine pubblico e sicurezza. I due curatori del testo fanno parte del Small Wars Journal che si occupa di conflitti, controinsorgenza, peacekeeping , peace-enforcing, mafie, gangs, cartelli narcos. Per tutto quello che riguarda l'America-Latina, è stato fondato El Centro specializzato sulle small wars in questa regione. Il lavoro COVID-19, Gangs, and Conflict è articolato in tre macro-sezioni: nella prima sezione, le Strategic Notes, si analizza come hanno agito le organizzazioni criminali nel corso di questa pandemia, in particolare quanto è avvenuto, e sta avvenendo, in sei paesi quali: Brasile, El Salvador, Messico, Sudafrica, Colombia e Italia. Differenti latitudini, culture differenti, regimi democratici diversi, laddove tuttavia risulta evidente una forte 'uniformità' di comportamento delle mafie e delle gangs, le vediamo
A medida que la violencia aumenta en México año tras año, los grupos criminales han adoptado un e... more A medida que la violencia aumenta en México año tras año, los grupos criminales han adoptado un enfoque cada vez más militarizado en sus tácticas, armamento y entrenamiento.
InSight Crime habló con Robert J. Bunker y John P. Sullivan, fundadores de Small Wars Journal-El Centro y editores de un libro publicado recientemente, titulado "Illicit Tactical Progress: Mexican Cartel Tactical Notes 2013-2020" [“Avances en tácticas ilícitas: notas tácticas de los carteles mexicanos 2013-2020”], que analiza cómo se ha producido esta evolución.
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of an explosive device, claiming the incident was a hoax, but later reports confirmed the presence of actual explosives. The region has been the site of violent competition between the Cártel de Santa Rosa Lima (CSRL) and Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).
station in the New York City borough of Queens. The City of New York Police Department (NYPD) and the Queens County District Attorney are investigating the murder.
incident scene. At least one of the drones was equipped with a video camera link and was armed with two IEDs that did not detonate. For a number of international security professionals tracking cartel and gang violence in Mexico—including the authors of this note—an incident like this has been expected for some time now, given the earlier I&W
(Indications & Warnings) event that took place in Guanajunto state in October 2017 when a weaponized drone was seized from Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) operatives.
Matt Devost
Founder
The Terrorism Research Center
InSight Crime habló con Robert J. Bunker y John P. Sullivan, fundadores de Small Wars Journal-El Centro y editores de un libro publicado recientemente, titulado "Illicit Tactical Progress: Mexican Cartel Tactical Notes 2013-2020" [“Avances en tácticas ilícitas: notas tácticas de los carteles mexicanos 2013-2020”], que analiza cómo se ha producido esta
evolución.