In 2018, a hacker working for the Sinaloa Cartel managed to obtain phone records belonging to an FBI official and used Mexico City’s surveillance cameras to track and target informants and witnesses, according to a Justice Department report.
This information came out in a Justice Department Inspector General audit that examined how the FBI deals with widespread technical surveillance threats.
At the time, the FBI was investigating Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, who had been extradited to the United States in 2017.
The FBI learned that the cartel had hired a hacker who provided various services related to exploiting mobile phones and other electronic devices.
The hacker identified an FBI assistant legal attaché (ALAT) stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.
Using the attaché’s phone number, the hacker accessed detailed call logs, including all incoming and outgoing calls, as well as geolocation data showing the attaché’s whereabouts.
The hacker did not stop there.
They also gained access to Mexico City’s surveillance camera network and used it to monitor the attaché’s movements across the city, per Fox News.
Through the camera system, the hacker was able to identify people the attaché met with during his work.
According to an FBI case agent involved in the investigation, the cartel used the information obtained through these hacks to intimidate and, in some cases, kill potential informants or cooperating witnesses. The report did not reveal the names of the hacker or the victims, likely for security reasons.
Fox News reached out to several government agencies, including the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, the State Department, the FBI, and the Justice Department, but did not receive immediate comments.
The Justice Department report highlighted that advances in technology have made it easier for criminal organizations, as well as less sophisticated foreign actors, to exploit vulnerabilities caused by the widespread collection and storage of data.
This process, known as Ubiquitous Technical Surveillance (UTS), involves collecting and analyzing data from everyday devices such as smartphones, computers, and vehicles.
The FBI continues to face significant challenges as criminal groups increasingly use technology to gather intelligence on law enforcement personnel and their confidential sources. The hacking case demonstrates how these organizations can use advanced cyber techniques to endanger agents, witnesses, and investigations.
Federal officials continue working on improving their counter-surveillance capabilities to protect personnel and sensitive information from cyber intrusions linked to organized crime.
