The crashed drone, with its meth payload. Photo: LA Weekly.
Well, this is a first: organized crime entities in Mexico are now hip to UAVs. The party's over.
A $1,400 drone marketed to filmmakers crashed in Tijuana, carrying crystal methamphetamine in six packages that had a combined weight of just under three kilos, law enforcement officials report. The packages were taped together, and had a combined street value that far exceeded that of the unfortunate drone.
From reading the manufacturer's website, it sounds like the drug traffickers overestimated the load capacity.
From LA Weekly:
Law enforcement sources said the crash was unprecedented.
The downed device was reported at 9 p.m. in the parking lot a Zona Rio neighborhood supermarket and strip mall that abuts the busiest border crossing in the world, said a Baja California state official who did not want his name published.
The six-propeller, lithium-battery powered drone was a 35-inch wide Spreading Wings 900 by DJI, he said. It lists online for about $1,400. DJI says the device is intended for use by professional filmmakers.
Here's a promotional video for the DJI Spreading Wings S900. It would be very funny if someone re-edited this to make it an ad for Mexican drug cartels, or Walter White.
The video clearly says it holds "almost 5 pounds of equipment," not 6 pounds of meth. Read the manual next time, dudes.
