The U.S. Drug Enforcement Company put an AirTag into an merchandise that was suspected to be on its solution to unlawful drug sellers. The hope was that Apple’s merchandise tracker would allow DEA brokers to find the placement of the criminals.
This can be the primary time this has occurred, and it additionally will be the final. We don’t know the way helpful the AirTag was within the investigation, however Apple intentionally makes the machine very exhausting to make use of for surveillance of any sort.
AirTag turns into a tiny DEA agent
AirTag is a small gadget that makes use of wi-fi tech to make it findable. Connect it to your keys or baggage and it’ll assist you find them in the event that they go lacking. That’s all AirTag is meant for use for, however individuals hold attempting to increase the chances.
In Might 2022, border brokers discovered a tablet press and tablet dyes being shipped in the US and, suspecting they had been going to an unlawful drug seller, notified the DEA, in accordance with Forbes. That company then determined to the conceal an AirTag within the tablet press then ship it to its vacation spot.
A search warrant obtained by Forbes stated the DEA brokers hoped “exact location info for the [pill press] will permit investigators to acquire proof about the place such people retailer medicine and/or drug proceeds, the place they acquire managed substances, and the place else they distribute them.”
Apple tries to stop surveillance
There are benefits to an AirTag over a GPS tracker, a extra typical legislation enforcement software for electronically finding suspects. Apple’s machine is smaller, and runs for months on a single battery.
Alternatively, Apple tries to stop AirTag from being utilized in precisely this manner. The corporate isn’t searching for drug sellers, however is hoping to stop the machine from being a stalkers’ software.
If any of the drug sellers who acquired the tablet maker makes use of an iPhone, they’d have quickly acquired a notification that an AirTag was following them. And an AirTag begins enjoying an audible alarm if it’s moved after it’s been away from its proprietor for longer than 24 hours.
Each of those make Apple’s tracker a poor selection as a surveillance software, even with one of the best of intentions.
