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New counter-drone measures at 17 prisons at high risk from drones
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Up to 13,000 cell windows to be reinforced with grilles to thwart criminals smuggling illicit items
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Part of Government action to ensure prisons cut crime and protect the public
Up to 13,000 prison cell windows across England and Wales will be fitted with heavy-duty steel grilles to stop drones smuggling drugs, weapons and mobile phones into jails.
The roll out, backed by £35m of government funding, will see physical security strengthened at 17 high-risk prisons vulnerable to drone activity. The funding will help to crackdown on criminal gangs exploiting jails with increasingly sophisticated drone operations.
The investment includes installing thousands of grilles to cell windows by spring next year – providing a tough physical barrier to block the delivery of contraband which can wreak havoc behind bars.
Many of the grilles will be manufactured by prisoners themselves - helping to cut costs and giving offenders skills for the job market so they can leave crime behind.
It comes as crooks are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their approach with drone sightings around prisons increasing by 770% between 2019 and 2023, not only undermining rehabilitation efforts but threatening the safety of both staff and prisoners.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, said
Drone smuggling fuels violence, debt and disorder in our prisons. It wrecks rehabilitation and puts lives at risk.
This new investment will further bolster prison defences against drones, building on our work with police to catch and prosecute the criminal gangs responsible.
To the criminal gangs using drones to target our prisons, my message is clear we are shutting down your routes, disrupting your operations and bringing offenders to justice.
Today’s announcement builds on £40 million already invested by the Government to strengthen prison security, including £10 million specifically on counter-drone measures such as external netting and wires.
A large-scale joint operation between the police and HMPPS has already resulted in over 200 arrests linked to drones smuggling contraband into our prisons.
In March, a gang that used drones to smuggle drugs and mobile phones into prisons were sentenced to a combined 22 years’ imprisonment, thanks to an investigation by the Metropolitan Police in partnership with the Prison Service.
National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Countering the Threat from Drones in Prisons, Steff Sharp said
We welcome this investment as it aligns with our continued pursuit of those using drones to smuggle weapons, drugs, phones and other contraband into prisons. These items fuel organised crime, impact local communities and increase the risk of violence towards staff and inmates within prison walls.
Counter drone activity is complex which is why we are committed to working closely with HMPPS and other partners to make sure this criminality is prevented, intercepted and offenders brought to justice.
Today’s investment supports wider Government efforts to develop counter-drone capabilities, including by learning from Ukrainian expertise developed on the battlefield and from innovators through a competition launched this year to tackle the illegal use of drones in prisons.
More broadly the Government plans to build 14,000 extra places nationwide by 2031 – with 3,100 already added since July 2024 – to keep streets safer and ensure the country never runs out of prison space again.
How Are We Tackling the Drone Threat in UK Prisons?