The BBCDrones delivering weapons to two of England’s highest security prisons pose a national security threat, the prison watchdog has warned.
Charlie Taylor, chief inspector of prisons, said contraband drops to prisoners at HMP Manchester and HMP Long Lorton, Worcestershire, were now so regular that guns could be smuggled.
Both prisons house some of the most dangerous people in the country, including terrorists, murderers and organized crime leaders.
He told BBC News that prison authorities had “abandoned the airspace” over prisons and the risk of armed violence, escapes and hostage-taking was increasing.
Mr Taylor’s warnings come amid damning reports about conditions in maximum security prisons.
Teams inspecting it have found serious and repeated failures of security and safety, with clear evidence of gangs arranging airdrops of items including weapons, drugs and phones to prisoners.
“This is a threat to national security,” Mr. Taylor said.
“The prospect of an increasing number of serious weapons entering our prisons means there is a risk, particularly with these Category A prisons, particularly with some of the most dangerous men in the country who are either involved in organized crime. are connected to groups or they are terrorists.
“For them to be able to commit serious crimes inside the prison, or to potentially be able to escape or create something like a hostage situation is a huge concern.”
Mr Taylor said gangs were now using drones in prisons to carry contraband weighing up to 3lb (1.3kg).
Prisoners had arranged for the shipment of “zombie knives” and firearms could follow.
“The knives are really coming in,” he said. “It’s entirely possible that someone could get a gun if they were determined enough.
“If a weapon can be brought into the prison, the inmate could potentially use it to take a hostage or threaten staff to get to the gate.
“There is also the possibility that one could be picked up by a drone.
“It’s unlikely but… it’s something that will require the dismantling of the prison service, the police and the security services.
“In effect, what we’re seeing is the airspace over our prisons, holding some of the most dangerous men in the country, being handed over to organized crime gangs.”
tick tickReports suggest there were CCTV and anti-drone netting failures in both Manchester and Long Lorton.
Officers from Manchester will see the equipment regularly patrolling the prison at night.
Prisoners were punching holes in £5,000 cell windows faster than they could be repaired and using phone GPS apps to guide them to the correct delivery locations.
In Long Lorton, which catches men convicted of terror offences, gangs drop contraband from drones in black plastic bags.
These are indistinguishable from bags of human waste thrown from cell windows – meaning inmates can easily pick them up by joining litter patrols.
Some groups were hiding contraband in hay bales so they could hide them in case they fell on the lawn.
The prisons watchdog issued an emergency notification about conditions in Manchester in October, saying it was one of the most violent prisons in the country.
The alert made it the fifth prison in a year to require an emergency response from ministers.
The Ministry of Justice says it has already acted by improving security through a new CCTV system and anti-drone netting.
“This government has inherited prisons in crisis,” a spokesman said.
“We are getting to grips with the situation by investing in prison maintenance and security, working with the police and others to tackle serious organized crime, and creating more prison places to lock up dangerous criminals. are.”