Gangs are recruiting skilled drone pilots to fly everything from drugs, phones, and even sachets of ketchup and mustard to prisoners’ cell windows in Amazon-style deliveries, as warned by the police. Organized crime groups are using increasingly sophisticated drones capable of carrying up to 7kg in pinpointed deliveries. They are luring individuals from outside the criminal world to smuggle a wide range of items such as shower gel into jails, detectives revealed.
These illicit deliveries are not only fueling violence within prisons, with prisoners accumulating debts over smuggled items sold at inflated prices, but also posing a significant threat as inmates use phones to coordinate criminal activities outside. Detective Superintendent Andy Buckthorpe of Greater Manchester Police stated that keeping up with new smuggling methods, especially with the advancement and accessibility of drone technology, is a constant battle.
DCI Chris McClellan highlighted how organized crime groups identify individuals with drone piloting skills from non-criminal backgrounds and pay them to carry out the deliveries. It was mentioned that some drone pilots apprehended were not inherently criminals but were hired for their expertise. The demand for skilled drone operators is on the rise, forming a network across the country involved in prison drone incursions.
As part of a crackdown on crime behind bars, Greater Manchester Police conducted a day of action at prisons in the region. Assistant Chief Constable John Webster expressed concerns about families exploiting young individuals as young as 14 to smuggle illicit items, calling the situation “diabolical.” The potentially lucrative nature of smuggling into prisons was underlined, with reports indicating that items like a £50 bag of cannabis could fetch hundreds of pounds inside, leading to violent altercations amongst inmates.
In light of the dire conditions at HMP Manchester (Strangeways) and other local prisons, urgent measures have been called for to address rampant drug use and the influx of contraband facilitated by drones. Inspectors highlighted the slow response to securing the facilities against drone incursions, underscoring the importance of swift action to safeguard prison environments and prevent further criminal activities behind bars.
In summary, the recruitment of skilled drone pilots by gangs for smuggling operations into prisons has prompted a response from law enforcement agencies like Greater Manchester Police. The use of drones to deliver contraband poses significant challenges in maintaining prison security and curbing criminal activities among inmates. The evolving tactics employed by organized crime groups necessitate ongoing vigilance and effective measures to combat illegal dealings within correctional facilities.