A recent audit has revealed that the Sinaloa drug cartel employed a hacker to track the movements of an FBI official. The cyber intrusion reportedly allowed cartel members to gather sensitive information, which they allegedly used to identify and murder individuals they suspected of cooperating with U.S. authorities. The findings highlight a dangerous escalation in how organized crime groups are using cyber tactics to obstruct law enforcement and protect their operations.

A Mexican drug cartel hired a hacker to monitor the movements of a senior FBI official in Mexico City as early as 2018, according to a new report by the U.S. Justice Department’s inspector general. The hacker reportedly accessed the city’s surveillance camera system, enabling the cartel to gather intelligence that was allegedly used to target and kill potential FBI informants.

The breach was severe: the hacker could view incoming and outgoing calls from the FBI official and track their geolocation, compromising operational security during a critical period when the FBI was investigating Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the former leader of the Sinaloa cartel.

According to the report, the hacker monitored traffic at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City before focusing on the FBI’s assistant legal attaché—an official who works closely with Mexican authorities. The hacker’s identity was not disclosed, but the report cites an FBI case agent who said the cartel used the obtained data to intimidate and, in some cases, eliminate potential witnesses or sources.

These revelations underscore the evolving threat of cyber-espionage in the fight against powerful drug cartels. The report is part of a broader review of how the FBI safeguards sensitive information and defends against surveillance.

The Trump administration previously prioritized dismantling these criminal networks, even proposing to designate major cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. U.S. agencies—including the FBI, DEA, and military—have ramped up high-tech surveillance efforts to disrupt the operations of major players like the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels, both key traffickers of fentanyl into the United States.

With “El Chapo” imprisoned, a younger, more tech-savvy generation of cartel leaders has taken control. “We’ve identified individuals in cartels who specialize in cryptocurrency transactions,” a senior DEA official told CNN.

“These groups run multi-billion-dollar global operations and are leveraging cutting-edge technology to stay ahead,” said Derek Maltz, former acting DEA administrator. “They use advanced surveillance tools to monitor law enforcement activity and track their enemies.”