Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen correspondent to southern Lebanon: Israeli warplanes launched a raid on the Ksar Zaatar neighborhood in western Nabatieh.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The tower destroyed by the Israeli occupation in Gaza includes media offices, including Al Mayadeen's bureau.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: Four fetuses and three premature babies died at Nasser Medical Complex due to malnutrition
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in the town of Burj Qalawieh, south Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The first ship of the Maghreb fleet delivering aid to break the siege on Gaza departs from the port of Gammarth in Tunisia.
Channel 12: Airspace closed at Ramon Airport due to fears of drone infiltration
IOF Spokesperson: Sirens sounded over an aircraft infiltration in the Bir Ora area, and details are being examined
Drone infiltration sirens sound north of the Gulf of Aqaba
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out five extremely violent raids on the western areas of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out major bombings in the Gaza Strip, the most violent since October 7

UAVs flying into UK jails 'national security' threat: Prisons watchdog

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News Websites
  • 14 Jan 2025 19:27
3 Min Read

Inspections reveal that high-security prisons like HMP Manchester and HMP Long Lartin were plagued by booming underground economies, with narcotics, mobile phones, and firearms being sold.

Listen
  • x
  • Drones flying into jails in UK a national security threat
    A general view of HMP Wandsworth in London, UK on September 6, 2023 (AP)

Drones have been described as a "threat to national security," according to the UK's prisons watchdog, following a significant rise in the delivery of weapons and drugs into high-security prisons, The Guardian reported on Tuesday.

Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector of prisons, urged the British government and the police to take immediate action after investigations revealed that terrorist suspects and criminal gangs may escape or assault guards due to "seriously compromised" safety.

Inspections have revealed that high-security prisons like HMP Manchester and HMP Long Lartin were plagued by booming underground economies, with narcotics, mobile phones, and firearms being sold. In addition, basic security measures, such as anti-drone netting and CCTV, had deteriorated.

A report released on Tuesday by Taylor revealed that authorities had essentially allowed organized crime gangs to control the airspace above these prisons, despite housing extremely dangerous inmates.

This failure to address the issue, Taylor warned, compromised the safety of staff, prisoners, and the public, posing a significant threat to national security.

Long Lartin inspectors discovered that "large payloads of illicit items" were being delivered, causing fights over drug debts and contributing to "low morale" among personnel. 

Related News

UK town protests JD Vance’s holiday in the Cotswolds

British officials knew of 'Israel’s' plan to strike Iran: Sky News

Taylor issued an urgent notice to HMP Manchester (formerly Strangeways) after discovering that inmates were burning holes in supposedly secure windows to receive frequent drone deliveries. The notification pointed out that some of these deliveries were large enough to disrupt prison order and potentially facilitate escapes, with inmates even threatening contractors who attempted to repair the windows.

Sophisticated drones, equipped with infrared technology and capable of carrying up to 7kg of contraband, are being used to deliver illicit items to prisons under cover of darkness. While some prisons have counter-drone measures to detect UAVs, few can actively prevent these devices from reaching their targets, The Guardian noted.

In November, Taylor expressed concern about drones, predicting that it was only a matter of time before weapons were smuggled in.

A recent report on HMP Garth revealed that the frequent drone activity was so widespread that an inmate compared it to an "airport".

The prisons watchdog has raised concerns about the strain on new probation officers handling an increase in early-release convicts, with many feeling overwhelmed and counterproductive.

The Guardian reported in July that prison governors in England and Wales had been cautioned that jails will be so overcrowded that they will struggle to accommodate any more inmates.

Martin Jones, the chief inspector of probation, reported that 1 in 10 probation officers left the service last year due to heavy workloads following reports of the government releasing around 2,000 offenders under the SDS40 plan to ease prison overcrowding.

  • England
  • Britain
  • Wales
  • UK
  • United Kingdom

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

American far-right activist Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025
A screengrab from the ad played on Fox News. (X Screengrab)

Fox airs ad warning Trump not to let Netanyahu 'play' him on Gaza

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
President Nicolas Maduro gestures to supporters during the inauguration of a monument in China's honor on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, September 3, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Maduro warns of threats, urges 'battle for truth' to defend Venezuela

Damage is seen after an Israeli strike targeted a compound that hosted Hamas' political leadership in Doha, Qatar, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)
Politics

Netanyahu informed Trump before deadly attack in Doha: Reports

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hold a joint press conference at the Prime Minister's Office, during Rubio's visit, in occupied al-Quds, occupied Palestine, Monday, September 15, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Netanyahu warns of Israeli isolation, calls to boost self-reliance

Spain axes €700Mln arms deals with 'Israel' over Gaza genocide
Politics

Spain axes €700Mln arms deals with 'Israel' over Gaza genocide

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS