The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reportedly utilized an Apple AirTag to track and monitor a suspicious package arriving in the United States from Shanghai, China in May 2022, according to a report by Forbes citing official documents.
Upon receiving an alert about the package containing two pill-making machines, the DEA decided to attach an AirTag to gain information on the processing and storage of drugs, the origin of materials, and distribution points, as stated in the report.
The documents cited by Forbes revealed that the DEA was able to track the device for 45 days. Although the recipient of the package is not facing federal charges, they will be prosecuted for state charges, Forbes added.
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According to the report, the DEA decided to use an AirTag to track the package instead of a traditional GPS due to reliability issues. This may be the first time a federal agency has used an AirTag for investigative and surveillance purposes, as reported by Forbes.
Apple and the DEA did not immediately respond to Supercharged’s request for comment regarding the Forbes report.
Despite its popularity among Apple enthusiasts, the small AirTag device, introduced in 2021, has been the subject of scrutiny. While it is advertised by Apple to locate personal belongings such as purses, backpacks, keys, and wallets, the product has been criticized and resulted in lawsuits against the company for its use in malicious activities such as stalking.
Nevertheless, the AirTag has also proven useful in its primary function of locating lost items, as it has been utilized by users to locate lost luggage multiple times, according to New York Post.
