One prison in Lancashire was likened to an airport due to the amount of drug drones taking off and landing
Drones dropping drugs and weapons to dangerous prisoners being held in high-security jails are a “threat to national security”, a watchdog has warned.
Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor accused the police and Government of giving up control of the airspace above HMP Manchester and HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire, as he called on them and the security services to “urgently confront” activity from criminal gangs behind the supply.
Publishing the findings of inspections at the two prisons on Tuesday, he raised serious concerns over safety and basic security, describing the jails as having “thriving” drug economies with nets and CCTV being allowed to fall into “disrepair’.
The scale of the problem at HMP Manchester, previously known as Strangeways, included inmates burning holes in windows to receive drone deliveries and prompted Mr Taylor to last year tell the Justice Secretary to put the prison into emergency measures.
Mr Taylor said: “It is highly alarming that the police and Prison Service have in effect ceded the airspace above two high-security prisons to organised crime gangs which are able to deliver contraband to jails holding extremely dangerous prisoners, including some who have been designated as high-risk category A.
“The safety of staff, prisoners and ultimately that of the public is seriously compromised by the failure to tackle what has become a threat to national security.
The Prison Service, the police and other security services must urgently confront organised gang activity and reduce the supply of drugs and other illicit items which so clearly undermine every aspect of prison life.”
The latest warning comes after Mr Taylor likened high-security jail HMP Garth in Lancashire to an “airport” because there were so many drones flying in drugs.
And a report from Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB) – made up of volunteers tasked by ministers with scrutinising conditions in custody – into “crumbling” jails in England and Wales said delays in fixing broken prison windows was making it easier for drones to be used to deliver drugs and weapons.
In December, MPs heard contraband was being taken into HMP Parc in South Wales in “children’s nappies”, while there were “industrial specification drone drops being organised by organised crime gangs”. The Ministry of Justice has been contacted for comment.
