Mexican Armed Forces Ready Themselves for Unauthorised Drone Risks at World Cup Sites

Mexicos armed forces are gearing up to address the danger from unauthorised drones at the stadiums hosting this summers FIFA World Cup matches.

The nation is jointly organising the event alongside the United States and Canada from June 11 through July 19 and on Tuesday troops at a base in Mexico City showcased the counter drone gear intended to safeguard the countrys venues.

Such defensive measures stem from the increasing deployment of commercially available drones by narcotics syndicates to target enemies and bystanders in zones affected by criminal networks.

These troubled regions lie distant from the three selected World Cup locations namely Mexico City in the nations heartland Guadalajara to the west and Monterrey up north. They are set to accommodate 13 out of the tournaments 104 fixtures.

"Counter drone operations will concentrate on stadium areas and spots with large gatherings such as Fan Fest gatherings or any locations drawing crowds" explained army Captain Jose Alfredo Lara a specialist in communications and electronics to AFP.

The personnel will deploy two kinds of counter drone systems. The first a semi portable unit creates a protected zone inside which no unauthorised drone can operate.

The second a handheld device allows a trooper to direct it at any detected unauthorised drone in flight.

Upon spotting a drone the team disrupts the operators link to it. "The gadget becomes unresponsive and cannot approach further" clarified Lara.

After neutralisation based on its setup the drone might return to base attempt to escape the jamming zone or simply drop out of control entirely.

The captain noted that criminal organisations have ramped up drone usage in the last five years prompting Mexicos military to develop strategies "to counteract these emerging dangers."

Syndicates like the Sinaloa group the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion and the Familia Michoacana incorporate drones into their operations. Experts at Insight Crime indicate their main activities occur in western Michoacan northern Chihuahua and central Guanajuato states.

Last October drone assaults with improvised bombs struck offices of Baja Californias state prosecutors in the border town of Tijuana.