About This Article
Zoom Testing has over 20 years’ experience providing drug testing products and information in the UK. This article reports on a case in which footage recovered from a crashed drone helped police identify men attempting to smuggle drugs into Perth Prison.
Originally published: 8 October 2018 | Reviewed: 31 October 2026 | By: Anthony Cunningham
From the Zoom Testing Archive: This article was originally published on 8 October 2018 and reports on events that took place in 2017. It has been reviewed for clarity and presentation while retaining its original historical context. Details of the case and those involved reflect reporting at the time. For current drug testing information and guidance, please see our latest articles.
After they accidentally filmed themselves stuffing a drone with pills and cannabis, a couple of drug dealers got caught as they tried flying the drugs into Perth Prison.
Thirty-five-year-old Michael Martin and thirty-two-year-old Paul Reilly were focused on getting the drugs to Martin’s brother, who was serving time there.
However, the police studied the video from the drone after it crashed and uncovered the two men.
Martin was sentenced to one year in prison and Reilly received 33 months in jail at Perth Sheriff Court.
The court discovered that the drug dealers were not aware that they were recording themselves as they stuffed the drone with £3,000 worth of drugs that were concealed inside Kinder Eggs.
Furthermore, they accidentally captured the address of the house they were working from and the vehicle outside that was theirs.
Police were already familiar with Martin from Kirkcaldy and Reilly from Cumbernauld, and both were identified from pictures.
On 22 September 2017 at 1 am, prison officers were carrying out regular ground patrols when they heard the drone overhead, but since it was dark, they couldn’t see it. They found the crashed drone with a cellophane package located adjacent to it.
The court learned from the prison officer that the drone crashed close to the cell where Martin’s brother was serving time at Perth Prison.
Police confiscated the drone and the drugs. The camera on the drone had a microSD card attached to it, and this is where the police found the footage when they examined it. The video clearly showed that the drone was turned on to test it, but the bad news for the criminals was that it kept recording unbeknownst to them and showed three men.
Reilly, Martin and a third unidentified man were the men on the video, which was recorded in a bedroom at an address in East March Street, Kirkcaldy. Reilly was shown wearing gloves, stuffing a Kinder Egg with white pills and dividing cannabis resin into cubes.
About the Author
Anthony Cunningham, BA (Hons), MA, is a UK-based drug testing expert and editor with over 20 years’ experience running Zoom Testing, a trusted source for accurate drug testing kits and testing guidance. He creates clear, evidence-based articles using UK legislation, workplace compliance standards, and harm reduction best practices. Where possible, content is reviewed by testing specialists and compliance professionals to enhance accuracy and reliability, helping readers make informed testing decisions.
