Two men died at HMP Ranby on 4 November, and police have opened an investigation.
The BBC reported more than 25 “code blues” at the prison over a three-day period. Staff call a code blue when they find a prisoner unconscious or suffering an overdose.
The BBC also quoted sources who said a ‘bad batch’ of Mamba was behind the incidents. Mamba is a synthetic cannabinoid similar to Spice. According to those sources, a drone had most likely carried the drugs into the prison.
The prison went into an emergency lockdown after staff found the two men. The Ministry of Justice said there were no other casualties.
Investigations
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) investigates every death in custody, and a Prison Service spokesperson confirmed it would do so here. The spokesperson said the service would respond to the PPO’s findings in due course.
The spokesperson added that police were also investigating. For that reason, “it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage”.
Detective Inspector James Oakton, of Nottinghamshire Police, said officers were working closely with the Prison Service to establish what happened. He said: “The families of those involved are being supported, and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time”.
Warnings about drugs
The last inspection report on HMP Ranby came out in November last year. It described the widespread availability of drugs as a “considerable concern”. Inspectors urged the Prison Service to spend more on physical security to keep out drugs delivered by drone.
HMP Ranby is a category C prison for men in the East Midlands. The full inspection behind that report rated safety, respect, purposeful activity and preparation for release all as not sufficiently good.
On the day of the deaths, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor gave the Longford Lecture in London. He said there had been a complete failure across government to solve the drug crisis in prisons. He named the Ministry of Justice, the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence.
On the same day, the PPO published its report on the death of Connor Milton, 20, at HMP Moorland in July 2025. The PPO found that Spice caused his death. The post-mortem confirmed that the drug brought on a fatal seizure. Staff later found ten vape capsules in his cell.
The PPO noted Mr Milton’s history of drug use and mental health problems. It found he had received “very good multidisciplinary support” from prison staff. An inquest jury earlier this year found his death drug-related.
According to the PPO, evidence suggested the drugs reached the prison during another prisoner’s visit on 17 July.
