The skies above Strangeways have been ‘ceded to organised crime gangs’ using drones to smuggle drugs and weapons to some of the most ‘dangerous men in the country’.
Chief Inspector for Prisons Charlie Taylor made the claim as he called for urgent action to tackle the use of drones at high-security jails. The problem is now so bad it has become a ‘threat to national security’, Mr Taylor said.
In October a damning report said organised crime is rife in HMP Manchester. Inspectors found inmates face ‘catastrophic levels’ of drugs, high rates of violence and a rat infestation. The prison, formerly known as Strangeways, is in urgent need of improvement, according to the report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons.
It was also found to be the most violent of all adult men’s jails in England and Wales, with the highest rate of serious assaults.
“The prison was fundamentally not safe enough for those living and working in there,” said Mr Taylor at the time.
The Inspectorate said Strangeways has a ‘thriving illicit economy’ of drugs, mobile phones and weapons – many of which were being smuggled in via drone. It found basic security measures such as netting and CCTV was in disrepair and that prisoners were burning holes in security screens to allow drone deliveries to be made.
In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Taylor called on the police and prison service to take urgent action. Referring to the findings of inspections at both HMP Manchester and HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire, he said: “It is highly alarming that the police and prison service have, in effect ceded the airspace above two high-security prisons to organised crime gangs which are able to deliver contraband to jails holding extremely dangerous prisoners including some who have been designated as high-risk category A.
Police have seized a number of drones transporting drugs and other items into Manchester’s Strangeways Prison
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
“The safety of staff, prisoners and ultimately that of the public, is seriously compromised by the failure to tackle what has become a threat to national security. The prison service, the police and other security services must urgently confront organised gang activity and reduce the supply of drugs and other illicit items which so clearly undermine every aspect of prison life.”
Responding to the HMIP Reports on HMP Manchester and HMP Long Lartin, Campbell Robb, the CEO of the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (Nacro), said: “The latest HMIP reports on HMP Manchester and HMP Long Lartin bear witness to a vicious cycle of boredom, drug-taking and violence.
“Whilst the practical security measures relating to how drugs infiltrate prisons must be urgently addressed, we must also tackle the conditions in prison driving these shockingly high levels of substance misuse.
“At Nacro we see first-hand the importance of work and education to give people in prison structure, a sense of purpose and a meaningful way to spend their time, which makes it less likely that people will turn to drugs to cope. This is essential for successful rehabilitation.
“We are deeply concerned that rocketing drug use in prison will result in more people leaving prison with addiction issues, which is likely to lead to higher rates or reoffending. Preventing illicit substances from entering our prisons together with a radical refocus on rehabilitation and purposeful activity is needed if we want to prevent the current crisis from extending beyond the prison walls and into our communities.”
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “This Government inherited prisons in crisis – overcrowded, with drugs and violence rife.
“We are gripping the situation by investing in prison maintenance and security, working with the police and others to tackle serious organised crime, and building more prison places to lock up dangerous criminals.”
In October a damning report said organised crime is rife in Strangeways
(Image: MEN Media)
Detective Superintendent Andy Buckthorpe, Greater Manchester Police’s strategic lead for threat from Organised Crime in Prisons, added: “We acknowledge this is a growing risk to us and HMMPS. We have a dedicated operation, Op Gatehouse, in place to disrupt, prevent, and tackle Serious Organised Crime linked prisons.
“In October 2024 we launched a further dedicated intensification operation to target the key threats at each prison across GM for a sustained period which had some excellent success.
“We have four prisons in Greater Manchester, and they all have slightly different threats in relation to organised crime, which is an evolving picture, and we are continuing to monitor that.
“There has been a number of warrants around the districts targeting those who are responsible for drone drops at our prisons, and we have arrested a number of individuals in relation to those incidents. Our work is far from done and we will do whatever we need to tackle this problem.”