Drug-smuggling drone pilot gets 17 months prison time

A 32-year-old drug-smuggling drone pilot from Leeuwarden, in the Netherlands, has been jailed for seventeen months for attempting to smuggle a package with drugs and a telephone into the penitentiary institution (PI) Leeuwarden using a drone.

The smuggling attempt with a drone took place on March 5 of this year, according to the Leeuwarder Courant.

The man had previously been caught in drug trafficking when he, himself was in the same prison.

Drug-smuggling drone pilot wrapped contraband in turf

Twenty months in prison, of which three months on probation, is the sentence imposed for the smuggling attempt by drone.

The man had tried to drop a package of ecstasy, hash, and a Nokia phone in the prison courtyard in Leeuwarden using a DJI Mavic Pro. The package was wrapped in artificial grass for camouflage.

However, the smuggling attempt was caught in time by the guards, and the drone pilot was arrested. It turned out to be an acquaintance of the Police: the man himself was still locked up in the relevant prison last year, where he was caught drug trafficking. The man also has to serve a few months in prison for that.

Increasing problem

Smuggling Contraband with drones is an increasing problem for detention centers in the Netherlands (and in the US).

Almost daily attempts are made to bring contraband over prison walls with the help of drones. To prevent this, drone detectors are installed at all prisons in the Netherlands. No-fly zones have also been introduced around all PIs.

Let us know what you think about this drug-smuggling drone pilot in the comments below!

This article first appeared on Dronewatch and is written by Wiebe de Jager, who is also a DroneXL contributor.