Organised crime groups in the UK are reportedly recruiting skilled drone pilots to smuggle everything from drugs and mobile phones to common household items like shower gel and even sachets of ketchup and mustard into prison cells. The operation resembles an “Amazon-style delivery” system, capable of flying contraband directly to prisoners’ windows, officials say.
Detective Superintendent Andy Buckthorpe of Greater Manchester Police described the use of drones for smuggling as a “constant battle” due to the rapid advancement in drone technology. He explained that modern drones can now carry “huge payloads” of up to 7 kilograms, allowing for highly targeted deliveries to specific cells.
“Drone technology is getting bigger and better,” he said. “So the payloads are getting bigger. Drones now are able to fly straight to the window of the cell.”
Some pilots hired for these jobs are not career criminals but civilians with advanced flying skills who have been specifically targeted by organised crime groups, explained DCI Chris McClellan:
“Some of the people we’ve arrested for flying the drones aren’t necessarily all criminals – they’ve just been hired… because they know how to operate drones. If you show yourself as being proficient in that, there’s demand for that individual.”
The impact of these smuggling activities is significant, authorities warned. Inside prisons, inmates accumulate debts from purchasing contraband at vastly inflated prices, creating tensions that often escalate into violence.
One officer shared that a £50 bag of cannabis could fetch several hundred pounds inside prison walls, adding, “People get slashed all the time for it.”
In addition, inmates with access to illicit mobile phones can continue coordinating criminal activities outside, posing what police have called a “huge threat.”
Greater Manchester Police recently conducted a day of action outside Forest Bank Prison, which saw officers equipped with sniffer dogs, a police drone and licence plate-recognition cameras. The operation aims to curb the growing flow of illegal items into jails across the region.
This problem is not confined to Greater Manchester. As Buckthorpe noted:
“There is a network around the country. These people aren’t just involved in drone incursions in prisons in Greater Manchester – they are connected to other prisons around the country.”
HMP Manchester, under emergency measures since earlier this month, has seen “catastrophic” conditions reported by inspectors, with four in 10 inmates testing positive for drugs and delays in replacing damaged windows and netting—factors which have facilitated the “frequent arrival” of smuggling drones.
Adding to the concern, Assistant Chief Constable John Webster noted that families, including children as young as 14, are being drawn into smuggling schemes, which he described as “diabolical.” With the prevalence of drones and the sophistication of organised smuggling operations, authorities are facing an uphill battle in addressing prison security.
(Post Image Credit: Greater Manchester Police)
