pmcimagazine.com
10
UNDER THE RADAR
CLANDESTINE COMMERCIAL SURVEILLANCE
PMCI was recently invited into a very secretive element of the commercial surveillance world, one
which very few know about, even those in this environment who have no awareness of this taking
place. Coming face to face with the guys who conduct these sensitive tasks on a daily basis was
indeed an eye opener.
W
e all know commercial
surveillance is openly
recognised by the wider
public. However, there
are a small number of
individuals who constantly
work under the public’s
radar gathering covert
footage
from
across
the world on drawn out
overseas
deployments;
these individuals are the
real “grey men” of the commercial surveillance world.
“Non-Signature” is the term used to recognise these
guys, conducting their tasks amongst the general population,
and answering to no current regulations. The role these guys
are often asked to undertake requires them to get in close,
real close. Sometimes working alone, and living undercover
amongst their targets in order to collect their product.
They operate under their own rules, of which they told
me there were only two. The first was to conduct themselves
in a ‘non-alarming manor’ to the general population (not
standing out) and the second, being that their actions are
proportionate. I had to ask “proportionate to what” and they
looked at me and simply smiled back. They told me of a
recent overseas task, how the days where spent following
multiple targets around the back streets and alleyways,
deploying technical tracking devices to vehicles with the aim
of locating particular target compounds; once identified the
mission was then to prove an entry point, penetrate, and
survey the interiors for the deployment of hidden cameras
which would be used to gather covert footage.
My next question after hearing this was, “what happens if
you get compromised in these locations” the reply was again
very simple, “f##k knows, hasn’t happened yet, but the shit
would hit the fan, hey? There was a recent case where we
had penetrated a target compound in the early hours and
were slowly manoeuvring around the complex in day light
when a face to face almost took place!
The thing we have on our side is that we know we’re there
and they the targets don’t, so they are not always looking
for us which gives us our edge.” It’s plain to see there’s no
medical support, no fire support, no extraction team, just
themselves and their ability to look after what’s needed.
GEARING UP!
With this background out of the way I questioned what kit
these guys deploy on task with, and wow, do they take with
them a very strict kit list, items which have over the years
been trialled and tested, removed, replaced and upgraded,
but this is their current lifeline and consists of every day carry
items ‘EDC’ and a more comprehensive bail-out systems.