US law enforcement has arrested a New Jersey man and searched stashes of laptops in 16 states in a sweeping crackdown on North Korean efforts to use remote tech workers to covertly fund their weapons programs,

The U.S. Department of Justice and FBI on Monday announced an arrest and indictments targeting North Korea’s so-called “IT worker” program, where North Koreans obtain remote IT-related positions at more than 100 U.

FBI Atlanta issued a warning to the public after four North Koreans were indicted in an alleged scheme to steal from two companies.

The stunning new details offer a rare look at how technology can be exploited in the high-stakes battle between US law enforcement and the violent Mexican cartels that control illicit drug trade.

The hacker was able to break into the agent’s phone remotely and watch their incoming and outgoing calls, and even monitor the phone’s geolocation.

Justice Department report reveals 2018 security breach allowed Sinaloa cartel to track FBI movements and target potential witnesses during El Chapo investigation