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US, Mexico: Countries working to identify lasers aimed at US border patrol helicopters

U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Yuma is working with the government of Mexico to identify persons aiming lasers at border patrol aircraft from the Mexican side or the border. The director of the Yuma Air Branch said he lasing is "most likely an attempt to distract … and interfere with the enforcement operations." Equipment on the aircraft can identify the location of the laser perpetrator; this information is then forwarded to Mexican authorities.

Lasing of aircraft happens "regularly" during night operations, and usually the source is in Mexico. In February 2020, it happened "several times in a shift and over several days as well" according to a special operations supervisor. The Yuma Sector Border Patrol's Foreign Operations Branch contacted the government of Mexico, who tried but were unable to apprehend laser perpetrators.

Later in the year (approximately October 2020), an operation was conducted in Texas to specifically identify perpetrators. Two persons suspected of lasing aircraft were arrested in the Mexican city of Acuña.

The special operations supervisor said the goal is to not only locate and arrest laser perpetrators, but to stop lasing of border patrol aircraft from happening.

From a November 2 2020 story in The Desert Review

Mexico: Alitalia flight with Pope sees laser beam before landing at Mexico City

The crew of an Alitalia flight carrying the Pope from Havana to Mexico reported that they saw a laser light aimed into the air, as the plane was at an altitude of 8,000 feet, preparing to land in Mexico City. The following statement was issued by Alitalia on February 17 2016:

“The cockpit crew of Alitalia flight AZ4000 on Friday 12 February noticed a laser light from the ground, as did other aircraft flying towards Mexico City, as they prepared to land at the Mexican capital’s airport. The aircraft Captain, Massimiliano Marselli, promptly reported to the control tower what the cockpit crew had witnessed, which is standard procedure with these type of matters, and similarly it is usual practice for the control tower to alert the competent, local authorities. None of our cockpit crew or any passengers on board were injured by the beam and the aircraft landed safely. The aircraft, an Airbus A330, was enroute from Havana in Cuba to Mexico.”

According to the Sun, air traffic control transmissions recorded a number of pilots reporting laser strikes.

From the New York Daily News; Alitalia statement tweeted by Jon Williams, foreign editor of ABC News. Thanks to Alberto Kellner for bringing this to our attention.