CIA To Unleash ‘Finely Tuned Machine’ To Destroy Mexican Cartels

It was only a matter of time until the CIA became involved in the Trump administration’s war on Mexican drug cartels. According, and is formulating a ‘finely tuned machine’ to help disrupt one of the deadliest criminal networks in the world. 

Specifically, the CIA is establishing the Americas Counternarcotics Mission Center, combining its counternarcotics and Western Hemisphere teams to enable faster, more effective collaboration, CIA Deputy Director Michael Ellis (formerly Rumble general counsel) told Breitbart, adding that the mission is to become a “finely tuned machine” to dismantle cartels, labeled foreign terrorists by the Trump administration. According to Ellis, the agency will leverage its 25 years+ of expertise in targeting jihadist networks to disrupt the cartels’ international operations.

“The drug trafficker is a savvy, sophisticated adversary,” the CIA official told the conservative publication. “[We’re] looking further upstream to identify those networks beyond our borders and dismantle them.”

“It’s a whole of government effort,” he added, before underscoring that the agency’s operations may remain covert due to their sensitive nature.

As early as this week, the agency is preparing to launch the Americas Counternarcotics Mission Center, which will merge agency personnel who focus on counternarcotics and personnel who focus on the Western Hemisphere, for closer and faster coordination.

— Kristina Wong (@kristina_wong) April 15, 2025

In February, the Trump administration officially classified eight Latin American criminal groups as “foreign terrorist organizations,” specifically targeting Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, and El Salvador’s MS-13.

As part of its upcoming operations, the admin is considering drone strikes targeting Mexican cartels in a bold strategy to counter criminal organizations smuggling narcotics across the U.S. southern border, NBC News reports.

No decision has been made on whether the strikes have been approved.

“It’s their country, and obviously we believe in strong partnerships,” Acting DEA Administrator Derek Maltz said. “That said, at some point it’s about the safety of our kids.”

Maltz, speaking to NBC News, highlighted “historic, unprecedented action” in U.S.-Mexico drug enforcement collaboration during the early months of the Trump administration. Last month, Mexico deployed 10,000 troops to its northern border to inspect vehicles for fentanyl at crossing points.