Authorities in Ireland are facing an escalating challenge as prisoners are reportedly using drones to receive drugs and other contraband directly at their cell windows. Inmates are believed to be supplying outside operators with precise GPS coordinates to facilitate these deliveries, raising concerns that advancements in technology could eventually enable the smuggling of firearms and other dangerous weapons.
A recent incident at Mountjoy Prison has highlighted the growing sophistication of these operations. A drone successfully delivered a package of drugs directly to a prison cell window, where an inmate used a makeshift hook to retrieve the contraband. However, prison authorities were able to seize the drugs before they could be distributed inside the facility.
While prison windows are designed to prevent unauthorized entry or exit – using what is referred to as the “Limerick design” – officials suspect that inmates have been gradually modifying the windows to allow such drone drops to occur.
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Growing concerns over security threats
Gabriel Keaveny, deputy general secretary of the Prison Officers’ Association, highlighted the growing concerns among prison staff:
“With advances in technology and prisoners always trying to find new ways to get contraband into prisons, there now exists the technology to use a smuggled mobile phone to establish exact coordinates and text them to someone on the outside who then uses them to program a flight path for a drone,” Keaveny said.
Keaveny also noted the increasing prevalence of smuggled phones in prisons, which are being used to orchestrate deliveries to precise drop zones, such as areas not covered by netting.
A prison source emphasized the scale of the problem, estimating that a single drone drop of drugs could be worth as much as €60,000 inside the prison.
“That’s the level these people are operating at now. It’s not just a few tablets or a few grams of drugs anymore, and the weight a modern drone can carry increases the risk of dangerous weapons getting to dangerous criminals,” the source said.
Authorities have long been working to counteract smuggling attempts, deploying technologies such as motion-sensor cameras, signal jammers, and interception techniques. However, the increasing sophistication of drones continues to pose a major challenge.
Countermeasures and law enforcement response
The Irish Prison Service has acknowledged the seriousness of the issue and stated that it remains committed to preventing contraband from entering prisons.
“The service is committed to preventing the access of contraband into prisons, and it continues to be a high priority,” a spokesperson said. “We are committed to continuing to invest in new technologies and measures to support our efforts to keep contraband out of prisons.”
Law enforcement agencies are collaborating closely with the prison service through initiatives such as Operation Throwover, which aims to disrupt and interdict smuggling attempts.
Despite these efforts, prisons in Dublin have been forced to introduce new metal mesh coverings over exercise yards to prevent drone drops, as previous netting was compromised by operators dropping flaming packages to burn holes through it.
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The persistent use of drones for contraband delivery has become a major concern, with reports indicating that Mountjoy Prison experienced drone deliveries on four consecutive days in a recent two-week period. While scanners and enhanced security measures have curbed traditional smuggling methods – such as concealment during family visits and throwing packages over prison walls – the use of drones presents a new and evolving challenge for prison authorities.
Security officials fear that as drone technology continues to advance, criminals could exploit it to deliver not only drugs but also weapons, potentially escalating violence within the prison system.
