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    "headline": "US Northern Command Downed 300+ Cartel Drones on Mexico Border in 2026",
    "dek": "US Northern Command reported downing over 300 criminal drones on the US-Mexico border in 2026.",
    "prose": "US Northern Command reported that it downed more than 300 drones suspected to be used by criminal organizations along the US-Mexico border in 2026. [^1]\n\nEleven additional drones were downed between September 1 and September 4, 2026, reflecting an increase in drone usage by groups dedicated to cross-border trafficking. [^2]\n\nMore than 100 unmanned aerial vehicles were neutralized by US Northern Command during August 2026 as part of security operations supporting US Customs and Border Protection. [^3]\n\nThe Army Multipurpose High-Energy Laser (AMP-HEL), a mobile laser weapon, was used for the first time in border operations on August 24, 2026, to detect and destroy drones. [^4]\n\nGeneral Gregory Guillot, commander of NORAD and USNORTHCOM, stated that the Joint Task Force-South has neutralized 11 unmanned aerial systems (UAS) linked to cartels using the AMP-HEL laser system between August 24 and September 4, 2026. [^5]\n\nMore than 100 drone downings occurred in August 2026 alone, according to the Joint Task Force-South, which employs both kinetic and non-kinetic systems to counter unauthorized UAS. [^6]\n\nThe US Army acquired the high-energy multipurpose laser (AMP-HEL) system in September 2025 to develop scalable directed energy capabilities against unmanned aerial systems and other aerial threats. [^7]",
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