Drone-Flying Drug Gangs Take Over Prison Airspace in Shocking Move
Drug gangs are now using drones to smuggle contraband into prisons, raising serious security concerns
Worcestershire, Manchester, HMP Long Lartin, HMP Manchester, Drones, Drugs, Contraband
Worcestershire: It’s wild out there! Drug gangs are now flying drones over prisons, and it’s causing a real stir. A watchdog has raised alarms about this situation, saying it’s a threat to national security.
Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector of prisons, mentioned that the airspace above two high-security jails has basically been handed over to these gangs. They’re using drones to drop off drugs, phones, and even weapons to inmates, including some serious criminals.
At HMP Long Lartin and HMP Manchester, things are getting out of hand. Basic security measures like protective netting and CCTV have fallen apart, allowing these illegal activities to thrive.
At Manchester, nearly 40% of prisoners tested positive for drugs. And at Long Lartin, half of the inmates said getting drugs and alcohol was a piece of cake. That’s pretty alarming!
Long Lartin has housed some notorious prisoners, including hate preachers and murderers. The situation is so bad that violence and self-harm rates are climbing, largely due to drug debts.
Since 2021, there have been six self-inflicted deaths at Manchester, and violence at Long Lartin has shot up by about 50%. Over 200 assaults on staff or prisoners happened in just the last year!
Mr. Taylor is really worried. He said it’s shocking that the police and prison service have let these gangs take control of the airspace. It’s a serious risk to everyone’s safety.
He’s calling for urgent action to tackle this organized crime and reduce the flow of drugs and other illegal items. It’s clear that something needs to change.
In fact, the problem is so bad that inmates are even burning holes in windows to catch drone deliveries. Last year, Mr. Taylor urged the Justice Secretary to step in and put emergency measures in place.
And it’s not just Manchester. Reports have come in about drones dropping contraband into other prisons, like HMP Parc in South Wales, where items were even smuggled in children’s nappies!