Ten people have been arrested on suspicion of using drones to smuggle large quantities of drugs into jails across England.
West Midlands police carried out raids on addresses in the West Midlands on Wednesday morning and arrested eight men and two women on suspicion of conspiracy to drop class A and class B drugs and psychoactive substances over prison walls.
It is believed the group may have delivered up to 90 consignments of drugs, plus phones and sim cards, using drones between April 2016 and June 2017, the force said.
The men, aged between 20 and 43, and women, 34 and 40, were arrested at addresses in Coseley, Tipton, Dudley, Oldbury, Weoley Castle, Northfield and Minworth.
The prisons they are alleged to have flown drones over include HMP Birmingham in Winson Green, HMP Oakwood in Staffordshire, HMP Wymott in Lancashire and HMP Liverpool.
DI Erica Field said the arrests were “very significant” and followed “a detailed and very complex investigation into the smuggling of drugs and contraband to serving prisoners”.
She added: “Much of the violence behind bars is linked to drug use and supply so it’s vitally important we do all we can to cut off the supply lines – and anyone convicted of supplying banned substances into prisons can soon expect to be inmates themselves.”
Measures to crack down on violence and the smuggling of drugs, weapons and phones in prisons have been announced by the justice secretary, David Gauke.
Gauke said new technologies had empowered gangs to be more “sophisticated and brazen” and that drugs such as spice could be ordered with a “Deliveroo-style responsiveness” on mobile phones and delivered by drones direct to prisons.
Gauke said the prisoners’ incentives and privileges scheme would be overhauled to ensure prisoners “play by the rules”.
A unit is also being set up to address serious and organised crime in jails in England and Wales.
