Exclusive Look Inside 'Cartel Hot Zone' in Roma, Texas

Cartel Control in Roma, Texas

• 🎯 Roma, Texas, a small town on the US-Mexico border, is identified by authorities as cartel territory.
• ⚡ Cartel traffickers confronted the NewsNation team with rocks as they approached a known smuggling location.
• ⚠️ The area is controlled by the Gulf Cartel (CDG), designated as a foreign terrorist organization, with their presence marked by spray-painted symbols.

Smuggling Operations and Tactics

• 📈 Border Patrol reports an increase in cartel activity, including the smuggling of narcotics like fentanyl.
• 🗺️ Cartels utilize strategic locations, such as islands in the Rio Grande, to facilitate the easy movement of drugs and people into the US.
• 🛰️ Scout houses and drones are employed for surveillance, allowing cartels to monitor Border Patrol movements and maintain a tactical advantage.

Texas Authorities' Response

• 🏝️ Texas Land Commissioner Don Buckingham is targeting two islands in the Rio Grande, referred to as a "smuggler's paradise," for clearing operations.
• 💥 Operation Flattop successfully cleared Fonton Island, previously known as "Cartel Island," leading to a significant reduction in cartel activity.
• 🔫 Border Patrol agents previously faced fire from cartels in January on one of these islands, highlighting the dangerous nature of the area.
• 👁️ Clearing these islands aims to increase US visibility and remove the cartels' tactical advantage.