January 04, 2024 10:22 am | Updated 10:22 am ISTA cartel in the embattled central Mexico state of Michoacan set up its own makeshift internet antennas and told locals they had to pay to use its Wi-Fi service or they would be killed, state prosecutors said Wednesday. Dubbed “narco-antennas” by local media, the cartel's system involved internet antennas set up in various towns built with stolen equipment. The group charged approximately 5,000 people elevated prices between 400 and 500 pesos ($25 to $30) a month, the Michoacán state prosecutor's office told The Associated Press. (For top technology news of the day, subscribe to our tech newsletter Today’s Cache)Local media identified the criminal group as the Los Viagras cartel. Mexican cartels have long employed a shadow network of radio towers and makeshift internet to communicate within criminal organizations and dodge authorities.

Source: The Hindu January 04, 2024 13:50 UTC