Prisons’ war on drug drones

A SPECIALIST squad is being set up to tackle drones smuggling drugs, weapons and cellphones into British prisons.

The new unit will try to combat the increasing number of the remote-controlled devices flying contraband into jails, where the trade of illicit goods is fuelling growing violence and disorder among inmates.

Drones are being flown over high walls and barbed wire fences and drop packages where they can be picked up by inmates or hover outside cell windows where the goods can be grabbed.

Some 33 drones crashed in prison grounds in England and Wales in 2015, compared to none as recently as 2013, figures released under Freedom of Information laws revealed. But the true scale of the problem is thought to be much greater. Prison chiefs believe that for every drone that fails, as many as nine others get through.

Laws were introduced in 2015 to stop people using drones to smuggle contraband into prisons, with those who do so facing up to two years in jail.

Now the new squad of prison and police officers will work with law enforcement chiefs and the recently established HM Prison and Probation Service. Drones recovered from the grounds of jails will be inspected to try to identify and track down the criminal gangs attempting to smuggle in contraband.

Investigators will draw together intelligence from across prisons in England and Wales to identify lines of inquiry which can then be passed to specialist detectives. Ministers are concerned the problem is being driven by crime gangs who can rake in tens of thousands of pounds for sneaking illicit items to prisons.

UK Prisons Minister Sam Gyimah said: “We are absolutely determined to tackle the illegal flow of drugs and mobile phones into our prisons.The threat posed by drones is clear, but our dedicated staff are committed to winning the fight against those attempting to thwart progress by wreaking havoc in establishments all over the country.

“My message to those who involve themselves in this type of criminal activity is clear: we will find you and put you behind bars.”

In one incident, drones were used in an attempt to flood prisons with contraband worth about £48 000 (R805 000).

Drug dealer Remo White-Channer and robber Romaine Gayle, both 24 and from London, were jailed for trying to fly packages containing cannabis, heroin and phones into three prisons.

Last year, Gyimah raised the prospect of eagles being deployed to intercept drones after the birds of prey were used successfully in Holland.

The Ministry of Justice has also said barking dogs were useful in alerting prison officers to drones, allowing handlers to confiscate contraband. – Daily Mail