Drone Smuggling in Prisons Is Out of Control: Time for the UK to Step Up Its Game
Drone Smuggling in Prisons Is Out of Control: Time for the UK to Step Up Its Game
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When it comes to prison security, the UK has a big, buzzing problem: drones. And not the harmless kind we fly for fun. We’re talking high-grade tech, powerful enough to lift 5kg+ straight over the walls of UK prisons, delivering everything from phones to, cigarettes and…condiments? Yes, you read that right.
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The numbers don’t lie. Drone incidents around UK prisons surged from 478 in 2022 to over 1,000 in 2023. Det Supt Andy Buckthorpe of Greater Manchester Police confirms gangs are using “highly-skilled drone operators,” turning our prisons into an Amazon-style fulfillment service. The result? Reports say 77% of inmates in some prisons are testing positive for drugs. We’re talking about the same facilities that received a ￡100 million investment in airport-style scanners back in 2019. But instead of blocking contraband, we just nudged gangs to get a bit more creative.
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And here’s the kicker: we already have the tech to stop these drones. In Guernsey, they’re using a 600-meter “virtual shield” that detects and jams incoming drones, forcing them to back off. So why haven’t we adopted this on the UK mainland? Why is the government willing to shell out on temporary housing for migrants but reluctant to put some cash toward keeping our prisons drone-free?
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In fact, housing for illegal immigrants crossing the channel is costing taxpayers a whopping ￡2.3 billion a year and 12% of the prison population is made up of foreign nationals. Surely that money could be better deployed to fund anti-drone systems. It’s not as though this is a new issue, either. Just a few years ago, the HM Prison Service tried to launch a public procurement process to install drone detection systems, but the project was abandoned. Why? Budget cuts. Go figure…..
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Meanwhile, prison authorities are left scrambling to “catch” drones before they offload their goods. Inmates have even started burning holes in their cell windows to create landing spots for these airborne deliveries. As for the gangs, they’re camouflaging their payloads in grass and casually dropping them on playing fields. It’s absurd—and it’s avoidable.
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Drone detection systems aren’t just possible; they’re proven and affordable.
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It’s time to see real action, HM Gov. We’re done with the excuses. Stop cutting budgets where they count and start deploying tax receipts where they're critically needed
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#DroneSecurity #PrisonReform #UKGov #AntiDroneTechnology #TechForSafety #PublicSafety #UKPrisons
Senior Drone Operator at Drone Surveying
2 周Is it really. Where's the evidence its out of control vs staff and visitors smuggling it in or stuff thrown over the fence. Poor reporting.
UAS / Drone Operator - Multi-rotor - Fixed Wing -Helicopter -- VTOL - Swarms -anything that flys basically
2 周easier for staff and visitors to supply into prisons than do it by drone and while drones maybe used the numbers of other means of getting drugs and other stuff into a prison in is WAY higher
Delivering World Class Digital Transformation
2 周simply they need a blocking system
Strategic Consulting, Logistics Specialist , Financial Modelling, E-Commerce Consulting, Product Marketing, Small Business Development, Business Turnaround, Author, Pilot and Investor
2 周Sounds like a great day out if your fond of a days shooting clay’s I'm free for a few days?