For the last few years, drones have been steadily becoming not just the domain of U.S. influence in Pakistan, but one of local law enforcement as well, and even civilian purposes. Now, it appears they’re becoming so commonplace that drug dealers are using them to prey on their own.
There’ll be more and more police with drones soon. Drones will be delivering goods to homes. Even our military has caught the drone bug. But I haven’t heard of this one before.
A group of drug dealers in Shropshire, England, has been using drone tech to spot marijuana plants from above, in order to swoop in and steal it. Apparently the lights used in such a process are easily spotted by an infrared camera. At that point, the clever bandits attempt to steal the plants, or extort money from the owners. In their own words, “Half the time we don’t even need violence to get the crop. Growing cannabis has gone mainstream, and the people growing it are not gangsters.”
[Drone] via Shutterstock
[Ars Technica] via [The Independent]