High-tech gang who used drones to smuggle drugs into UK prisons are jailed

Seven members of a gang who flew £500,000 worth of drugs into prisons using drones have been sent to jail.

In total, they made more than 100 deliveries by drone – they also smuggled in mobile phones and sim cards – around the country between April 2016 and June 2017.

Some of the deliveries went straight to inmates’ windows.

A trial at Birmingham Crown Court was told they sent drone deliveries to Oakwood, Featherstone, Staffordshire, Wymott, Birmingham, Liverpool, Hewell, Risley and Dovegate prisons.

A total of 11 drones were used.

The men were sentenced for between three and 10 years and six other gang members were given suspended sentences.

Judge Simon Drew QC said custodial sentences were required.

‘Each of you falls to be sentenced for your part in conveying controlled drugs, mobile phones and Sim cards into prisons up and down the country.

‘The method you chose to do this was both carefully planned and executed.

‘Each of you played a part in a wider conspiracy which resulted in approximately 100 separate deliveries.

‘This was a sophisticated commercial operation and due to the high value placed on drugs and mobile phones in prisons, designed to make those of you who ran the operation hundreds of thousands of pounds in profit.’

He said deliveries of drugs and mobile phones had helped cause increased violence in Britain’s prisons.

‘I have no doubt each one of you knew exactly what you were getting involved in,’ added the judge.

Gang leader Lee Anslow, who was serving a sentence at HMP Hewell, was found with digital scales and £20,000 worth of cannabis in his cell after police smashed the network.

The 31-year-old smiled at the public gallery after being jailed for 10 years, as the judge described him as “effectively one of the key operation directors” involved in at least 23 drone flights despite being behind bars.

Among those jailed was drone pilot Brandon Smith, 24, from Kingsbury Road, Tipton, who was jailed for seven years.

Commenting after the case, Detective Inspector Gareth Williams, said around £110,000 worth of drugs had been recovered from 11 drones.

‘A modest estimate would be potentially £500,000 worth of drugs were flown into prisons.’