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Drug Cartels' Latest Ploy: Ultralight Planes

Ultralight aircraft are the Mexican cartels' newest tactic

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 6, 2009 3:56 PM CST
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(Newser) – Mexican pot smugglers have come up with a new tool in their never-ending quest to outsmart US border patrols: ultralight aircraft, USA Today reports. An ultralight is a small plane resembling a scooter with a hang glider attached, and authorities have found several crashed or in mid-flight over the border with more than 100 lbs of marijuana attached.

Smugglers like the tactic because ultralights barely show up on radar and aren’t generally considered capable of carrying heavy loads. While numerous craft have probably made it safely, weight limits are probably why more than a few have crashed making their runs. “This is a new twist,” said a US official. “You’re really at war with drug cartels. They change tactics, and we have to change in the same way.”

Ultralight planes can't carry much of anything, but are much harder for authorities to detect.
Ultralight planes can't carry much of anything, but are much harder for authorities to detect.   (Wikimedia Commons)
This is a new twist, a US border agent says. You're really at war with drug cartels on this. They change tactics, and we have to change tactics in the same way.
"This is a new twist," a US border agent says. "You're really at war with drug cartels on this. They change tactics, and we have to change tactics in the same way."   (AP Photo)
A Jordanian man rides a land sailor at the desert of Wadi Rum, South of Jordan, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008.
A Jordanian man rides a land sailor at the desert of Wadi Rum, South of Jordan, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008.   (AP Photo/Nader Daoud)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 14 comments
Guest
Mar 9, 2009 4:33 AM CDT
The real scare is that this is news to our own government...
Guest
Mar 7, 2009 3:14 AM CST
@AClotfelter: "Shoot em down"? They can't be seen; that's the whole problem. They're too small to show up well on radar. That's why they're a problem. And if you do improve radar to the point of seeing all these tiny planes, you'll just have catapult trucks that pull up to the Mexican side of the boarder, lob a huge package over to the Amercian side, and then the receivers on the American side take over. It is almost an unending mission -- UNLESS we simply take the market away from the black market. Legalize marijuana, and hippies will be growing it in their backyards and sharing it. Or you can just go to the liquor store and buy an once for $20. Cocaine would need to be decriminalized as well. That is a bit more problematical, but it needs to be treated as a health problem not a criminal issue . . .
riffran
Mar 6, 2009 9:53 PM CST
somebody is snacking at conspiracy diner..lol

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US corruption feeds Mexican drug problem: Mexican president
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War on Drugs • Mexico • Mexican border • marijuana • Mexican drug war • Border Patrol • smuggler • aircraft • Bill Maher Grid

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