Drug-Smuggling Drone Attempting to Carry Six Packets of Crystal Meth Across the Border Crashes in Tijuana
- Witness saw the drone 'fall from the sky' about 10pm Tuesday
- It was found in pieces in the carpark of a Tijuana supermarket
- Was just two miles from the U.S. border crossing
- Had about seven pounds of methamphetamine taped to it
Daily Mail UK, 22 January 2015
Is This the Future of Drug Trafficking?
Police just south of the California border have recovered six packets of methamphetamine after a drone that was carrying the drugs crashed in Tijuana, Mexico.
The battery-operated drone was found in the carpark of a supermarket in Pueblo Amigo , just southeast of the San Ysidro Border Crossing, about 9.50pm Tuesday,
A witness had called Tijuana police to report seeing something fall from the sky.
Crash landing: Tijuana’s police department said an anonymous caller reported seeing something fall from the sky about 10 p.m. Tuesday
Smash: The battery-operated device was found in pieces in the car park of a Tijuana supermarket
The drone was identified as a 'Spread Wings 900' model, which is reportedly available online for $1,400
The device likely crashed from the weight of load.
The drugs measured at almost seven pounds.
The packets had been attached using tape.
Meth seizures have increased at U.S. ports of entry have increased since marijuana was legalized in certain American states, with drug cartels now concentrating on making and smuggling meth that drug and heroin.
However, police do anticipate drones becoming future drug mules any time soon.
'We would not call using drones a new trend in smuggling,' Amy Roderick of the Drug Enforcement Agency in San Diego said
Close: The small drone was about two miles from the U.S. border crossing when it crashed
'This method will only allow a small amount of drugs to be flown at a time and coupled with the ease of detection, does not make this method very profitable to these drug trafficking organizations.
Police have not said whether they know anything of who might have owned or been operating the drone at the time of the crash.