Attempts to stop prison drone drug deliveries hampered by crumbling Victorian walls
Summary
Victorian prison walls in England are too weak to support new anti-drone netting, which is meant to stop drones from delivering drugs and weapons to inmates. Drone incidents at prisons have increased dramatically, but structural problems are slowing down efforts to improve security.Key Facts
- Weak and crumbling walls in Victorian prisons cannot hold the weight of stronger netting and window grilles needed to block drones.
- Drone deliveries to prisons have risen by over 1,000% in four years, carrying drugs, weapons, and other goods.
- HMP Pentonville, a prison in north London, has stalled plans for stronger mesh due to the softness of the bricks and old mortar.
- Inmates often retrieve drone-delivered packages using hooks through their cell windows.
- Physical barriers like nets and grilles are preferred to stop drones but can add too much weight to old prison walls.
- A gang was jailed for using drones to smuggle drugs into London prisons in March 2024.
- The government plans to invest £10 million to improve anti-drone security measures in prisons.
- The Justice Secretary visited Ukraine to learn how military anti-drone tactics could help in prisons.
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