Two Arrested For Dropping Drugs And Porn Into Prison Using A Drone
Technology is progressing day by day,that too at an exponential rate. It has made impacts in every field,crime too. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) commonly known as drones are which were intended for use in defence are now also used by criminals. Recently Maryland State Police arrested two men – Thaddeus Shortz and Keith Brian Russell – suspected of allegedly trying to smuggle drugs and porn into a state prison using a drone, according to law enforcement authorities.
The men, with the intention to fly a Yuneec Typhoon drone (A product of Yuneec Electric Aviation) into local jails, were arrested near the Western Correctional Institution and the North Branch Correctional Institution in Cumberland, Maryland.
Authorities seized the drone itself ,and stuff being carried by it.
- A Yuneec Typhoon drone, which retails for around $1,300
- Synthetic marijuana (also known as “Spice“)
- Pornographic DVDs
- Tobacco
- Prescription drugs
- A mobile phone
- A loaded pistol
However authorities have confirmed that the pistol was too heavy to be carried away by drone but they now fear that this can be done using bigger drones. And as they have no Drone Detection Mechanism yet this can lead to catastrophic situations like prison riots.
“That’s my biggest fear,” Moyer said. “The use of these drones to bring this type of contraband into a facility is very, very troubling, and we’re going to address it”
Moyer is now planning to ask for up to $400,000 for each of the state’s 27 correctional facilities to build drone detection infrastructure
This is not the first time when criminals have tried to use drones for illegal prison special deliveries. A similar incident took place in late July when a drone dropped a package of marijuana, heroin and tobacco in an Ohio prison.
