"Gangs are increasingly using drones to deliver contraband to inmates, as a report found the government and prison service are too slow to respond to the rapidly changing threats of illicit drugs entering jails. Prison governors have told the UK's independent public spending watchdog that they do not have the resources to keep up with security demands, despite HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) spending only 75 per cent of its 100 million security investment programme budget between 2019-2020 and 2021-2022."
"Between April 2024 and March 2025, there were 1,712 recorded drone incidents at prisons across England and Wales. Detective Chief Superintendent Lewis Hughes, of Greater Manchester Police, told Sky News: "We don't police the airspace. "Organised criminals have cottoned on to the fact that it's very difficult to target and intercept drones. It's a growing and evolving problem. Whilst drones have been around for a while now, they've never been more readily available.""
Gangs increasingly use drones to deliver contraband to inmates, exploiting gaps and slow responses in prison security. Prison governors reported insufficient resources to meet security demands despite HMPPS spending only 75 per cent of a 100 million security investment programme between 2019-2020 and 2021-2022. Between April 2024 and March 2025, there were 1,712 recorded drone incidents at prisons across England and Wales. A prison maintenance backlog doubled from 0.9 billion to 1.8 billion between 2020 and 2024. Around 40,000 prisoners, roughly 50 per cent, had an identified drug problem in April last year. Broken security equipment and misaligned priorities undermine rehabilitation and safety.
Read at www.independent.co.uk
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