Drones spotted by prison staff around jails have risen to a record high of more than 1,700 in a year, data shows.
Figures published for the first time reveal drone incidents in prisons rose to 1,712 in the year to March, up 43% from 1,196 the previous year and nearly five times the 357 in 2021/22.
It is also more than 12 times the 138 incidents recorded in 2020/21.
The data includes all drone sightings by prison staff such as recovery, crashes, bringing illicit items into restricted fly zones and drones suspected of photographing inmates, officers or buildings.
The HM Prisons and Probation Service publication also notes the increase could also be made up of a rise in the reporting of drone incidents.
Drones dropping drugs into prisons has previously been branded a threat to national security by the chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor, who also warned of weapons such as zombie knives suspected of being brought into prisons by air.
On Thursday, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced a new £900,000 cash boost to tackle drones bringing drugs and weapons into prisons, on top of £40 million already used to boost security such as by reinforcing windows and putting up netting.
Nine people have also been arrested in operations to crack down on drones at HMP Manchester and Wandsworth.
The MoJ said one of the drones caught in the HMP Wandsworth operation was worth £6,000, could fly for 40 minutes and hold four loads at a time.
Prisons minister Lord James Timpson said: “The ease with which drones were operating over prisons was yet another sign of the chaotic prison system we inherited last July.
“As part of the Plan for Change, we are tackling the organised crime gangs behind the drug supply routes so that our prisons can start cutting crime and stop creating better criminals.”
