MOSCOW, January 22 (Sputnik) — A drone carrying a shipment of methamphetamine crashed into a parking lot near the San Ysidro crossing at the US-Mexico border, Associated Press reports.
Over six pounds of the narcotic substance were loaded into six packets taped to a small six-propeller remote-controlled aircraft. The authorities are currently trying to determine who was controlling the drone and where the flight had originated from, AP adds.
Jorge Morrua, a Tijuana police spokesperson cited by AP, said that drug smugglers had already employed drones in the past, as well as other innovative methods and devices, such as catapults, ultralight aircraft and tunnels.
According to the BBC, the drone was a prototype that could fly to a designated location autonomously after being provided with a set of GPS coordinates. US Drug Enforcement Administration notes that some drug cartels have even begun to manufacture their own drones due to their growing popularity. Figures provided by DEA suggest that smuggler UAVs make over 150 trips per year across the US-Mexico border, BBC adds.
