Seven men who used drones to fly drugs, weapons and mobile phones into prisons have received jail sentences. Evidence in court estimated that the group accounted for about 75 per cent of drone drops at London’s prisons.
Their targets included Wormwood Scrubs, Brixton, Pentonville and Wandsworth. The gang also targeted prisons in Norwich, Leicester, Bedford and Onley in Northamptonshire.
Harrow Crown Court sentenced the men, who are aged from 22 to 51, on 3 March. The hearing took place at Hendon Magistrates’ Court, which is currently hosting some Harrow Crown Court cases.
All seven admitted their parts in what the court described as a “serious, organised, and prolific enterprise”. The operation supplied Class B and C drugs and conveyed list A and B articles into prisons.
The men drove to the prisons, often in the early hours, and flew packages of contraband through cell windows. CCTV footage showed some of them tying fishing wire to a drone. They tied the wire to a package and melted it with a lighter to secure it before flying the load to prisoners in their cells.
The court heard that one man played the leading role in almost every drop. He received a sentence of five years and three months and must serve at least 40 per cent of it.
He organised flights, flew the drones and co-ordinated drivers and lookouts, the court heard. He also handled payments of more than £30,000 and spoke directly to prisoners on illicit mobile phones inside the jails. His barrister said the 29-year-old had run up debts of about £30,000 through a gambling addiction and feared for his safety.
One drone crashed at HMP Wandsworth, where the authorities seized it. It carried cannabis, capsules of pregabalin, known as ‘new Valium’, and tablets of alprazolam, commonly sold under the brand name Xanax.
At the same prison, police alerted staff to a drone flight heading for a specific cell. Another package was intercepted inside the jail. It held cannabis, cigarettes and five iPhones.
Financial investigations found that associates of serving prisoners had transferred money to fund the operation.
The other six men worked as drone pilots, co-pilots, drivers and lookouts. Their sentences ranged from 27 to 33 months.
Det Insp John Cowell said: “This highly-organised gang thought they were outsmarting the police and prison authorities. What they didn’t know is they were subject to sustained specialist surveillance by Met officers.”
HMP Wandsworth is a category B reception prison for men in London. At its most recent full inspection before the sentencing, in August 2024, inspectors rated it poor for safety, respect and purposeful activity. They judged its preparation for release not sufficiently good.
