We all know the government can locate the source of a signal quite easily. That's a given.
The question is what prompts them to do so in the first place?
Given that it takes time an resources to locate, confiscate, and charge/arrest people AND to prosecute them in court, I submit that they don't do so UNLESS there is a compelling reason to do so.
In other words, the equipment being operated is interfering with other equipment in the area OR the violator is reported by other amateur operators.
Tons of people all across the country, for example, violate the power limits on transmission all the time by running linear amps on CB radios or 10 meter band radios whose frequency range includes the CB channels. Some of them with some pretty impressive linear amp output capacities. But the government isn't investing the time, money, and resources in tracking all these people down all the time and prosecuting them. If they stick their heads up above the crowd by obvious illicit actions (like radio interference, communicating threats, being reported by others, etc.) THEN they'll take action if they judge the need to be great enough.
A bunch of good ole boys running 100 Watt linear amps on their CB radios out in the country simply aren't on the radar, as an example.
Do some google searches and look at what the people who DO get caught are doing:
http://www.w5yi.org/ama_news_article.php?id=502
Jamming police radio
http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-issues-warnings-for-amateur-radio-infractions-unlicensed-operations
Reported for operating outside amateur bands licensed for
https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/ham-operator-gets-22000-fine-for-hogging-frequency
“intentionally causing interference to other amateur radio operators and failing to provide station identification,”
https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-investigation-leads-arrest-unlicensed-amateur-radio-operator
operating an unlicensed radio station on amateur radio frequencies and for intentionally causing interference to licensed amateur radio stations
http://www.scrrba.org/Enforcement/ARRL_Gerritsen.htm
felony charge of malicious interference with a communications system operated by the United States and a misdemeanor count of transmitting radio signals without a license
This is not to say, of course, that NOBODY get's warned/fined/arrested for the relatively minor infractions of, say, just operating without a license and not otherwise bothering anybody. I'm sure it does happen...I just believe these people are a tiny fraction of the ones the government does take action on.
We see this behavior all the time with respect to other law enforcement issues, and it's no different here.
Does this mean I advocate people broadcasting on amateur bands without a license? Not at all. It's just a perspective look at the risk of getting caught.