Drones deliver packages through windows as prisons 'saturated with contraband' 

Out of 2,874 contraband seizures, just 66, or 2.3%, resulted in arrests, according to Prison Officers' Association (POA) figures.

One drone-delivered package contained 357 Xanax tablets, 1,180 white tablets, 1,060 blue tablets, 38g of white powder, 3g of suspected crack cocaine, and an USB flash drive, with a total estimated street value of €8,000.

Another drone-delivered package contained six Zanco fob phones, 93g of suspected cannabis herb, 39g of suspected cannabis resin, 8g of white powder, and a USB drive, together worth some €3,854.

Another contained two bottles of Southern Comfort; two bottles of Jack Daniels, two bottles of vodka, 4g of white powder; and 13 Sertraline 100mg anti-depressant capsules.

Drones are flying into prison windows and dropping consignments in yards. Many of the drones are now covered in hooks so a prisoner can reach out a window or over a fence and use a jumper or bed sheet to fish the drone in.

At the POA annual conference, general secretary Karl Dalton said: “Despite the best efforts of our members on the ground, our prisons are being flooded with contraband, such as phones, drugs, and a variety of weapons.

“From 2015 to 2023, the drug seizures entering prisons were up 160%, mobile phone seizures were up 203%, yet the number of related arrests by gardaí were down 52%. 

"During the period the level of mobile phone seizures in Wheatfield Prison alone were up 1,374%, from 35 to 516 per year. Over the same period in Cloverhill Prison drug seizures increased by 294% from 104 to 410 per year.

“During 2023 our members seized 1,272 mobile phones, 1,294 drug packs, and 308 weapons, which were being smuggled into our prisons. As a follow-up to these seizures 66 people were arrested. We are all aware that despite our best efforts the level of confiscations merely reflects a percentage of the actual smuggling levels.” 

Irish prisons now have “an increasing and concerning trend” in smuggling contraband, which is also tied to intimidation and violence, he said.

Cork prison, the newest male prison in the country, had the lowest number of seizures out of eight prisons. Last year, nine mobile phones and 15 weapons were seized, along with 36 drug seizures, ending in one arrest by gardaí.

Limerick Prison had 60 mobile phones, 22 weapons, and 38 drug seizures, resulting in no arrests. Mountjoy had 277 mobile phone seizures, 80 weapons, and 233 drug seizures, resulting in seven arrests.

Wheatfield had 516 mobile phone seizures, 433 drug seizures, and 102 weapons, resulting in 43 arrests.

Netting over prison yards to prevent contraband being dropped into prisons was removed after it was weather-damaged.

However, Justice Minister Helen McEntee said the netting is being repaired and will be replaced.

Although drones were bought by the prison service to intercept invading drones they were never used, the conference heard.

“We have also learned that the ‘anti-drone technology doesn’t work’ and that the technology already purchased ‘is outdated'," Mr Dalton said.

“Those responsible for failing to deliver a fully-functioning drone technology should be held responsible. The market is awash with such technology.

It is not acceptable that our members are still grappling with this smuggling problem on the ground, without the necessary support. 

"They must deal with the consequences of our prisons being saturated with various items of contraband, as indeed must a large portion of the prison population and often their families."