Police face 'constant battle' after surge in drone use to fly drugs into prisons

The number of drones seen carrying drugs into prisons soared to more than 1,000 last year as police waged a "constant battle" against gangs flying in cocaine and cannabis from miles away.

- Josh Halliday

Official figures reveal the number of drone incidents at prisons in England and Wales has risen almost tenfold since 2020, climbing to 1,063 incursions last year.

The Ministry of Justice has attempted to fight back against the often-brazen deliveries - which can even include household items such as shower gel and tomato ketchup - by introducing new counter-drone laws in January. But the huge value of drugs behind bars, where they can fetch three to five times their street value, has made it a key supply route for organised crime groups.

Figures published by the Ministry of Justice reveal that the number of drones sighted or reported around prisons in England and Wales more than doubled between 2022 and 2023.

Last year's total of 1,063 incursions was also more than double the total recorded between 2019 and 2021, in a sign of how use of the aerial smuggling route has increased.

The true figures are likely to be much higher given many successful drone deliveries go undetected.

Gangs have been known to fly more than £1m worth of cocaine and other drugs into a single prison over several night-time missions.