A Mexican state plagued by drug-related violence has launched a fleet of Tesla Cybertrucks to patrol the streets, authorities said Thursday.
The western state of Jalisco is a hotbed of criminal violence, home to one of Mexico’s most powerful drug trafficking groups, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which was designated a terrorist organization by US President Donald Trump.
The futuristic, tortoise-shaped pickups are part of a $51 million investment to buy more than 690 new vehicles, including 200 motorbikes, Jalisco state governor Pablo Lemus said.
Security is a top priority for Jalisco authorities ahead of the 2026 World Cup, when state capital Guadalajara will host four matches.
One of the Cybertrucks, which are made by billionaire Elon Musk’s firm Tesla, was used this week to arrest two police officers who tried to recruit two young people for a drug trafficking gang, Jalisco Security Secretary Juan Pablo Hernandez told AFP.
The vehicles are equipped with satellite internet provided by Musk’s Starlink, which allows “quick access to information wherever we are,” Hernandez said.
This is particularly useful to authorities patrolling Jalisco’s often violent rural areas.
Dozens of curious onlookers took photos next to the slick, angular vehicles complete with police insignia on display in Guadalajara on Thursday.
More than 127,000 people are registered as missing in Mexico, most of them since 2006 when the government declared war on drug trafficking groups.
By state, Jalisco has the highest number of missing persons cases, with more than 15,000.
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