Drugs, mobile phones and SIM cards dropped by drone at Risdon Prison

[Rick]

The rate things are going all prisons will have domes built over them, I find it rather funny but clever
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DRUGS, mobile phones and SIM cards were attached to a drone which crash-landed in Ridson Prison, the Mercury can confirm.

And Tasmania’s Justice Department has called on Tasmania Police to investigate who was driving the ill-fated drone last week.
The Tasmanian Prison Service also is investigating which inmates were involved in organising the drone drop.
The drone incident is seen as a significant escalation in the technology now being used to smuggle contraband into the prison, reflecting a growing trend in the US.
New statistics show there were 257 seizures of unauthorised items last year including drugs, mobile phones, tattoo guns, improvised weapons and “prison brews” — an increase from last year.

The Mercury revealed the incident last Friday.
In a statement, a Department of Justice spokesman outlined what the drone was carrying.
“A search undertaken by TPS (the Tasmanian Prison Service) recovered contraband in the form of a mobile phone and accessories and a small quantity of illicit drugs transported by the drone in an area not accessible to inmates,” the spokesman said.
“This seizure is another example of increased success by the TPS in recent years in intercepting contraband before it reaches the prison population.
“The investigation of the person who controlled the drone from outside the prison has been referred to Tasmania Police.
“Prison staff are also investigating which inmates were involved in organising the drone drop.”
Tasmania Police did not respond to Mercury questions.

The Justice spokesman said contraband was an issue affecting prisons throughout the world and continued to be an important issue in the management of prison security in Tasmania.
In April this year a whistleblower revealed hardened criminals were using a phone smuggling racket to share selfies with the outside world.
Issues with drones in US prisons have increased in recent years, but incidents in Australia have been rare.
In NSW Wales last year there were six reported cases of drones flying over prisons.

[mtv]

Need a better drone/pilot.

Whatever happened to using traditional methods of smuggling contraband into prisons.... staff.

[gordon_s1942]

Just after the new high security prison opened here, one of the then senior managers told me of a similar incident.
The Prison is in a semi rural setting facing a Highway one side and a dead end rural road on the other that accesses no more the 6 residences, each on acreage so seeing a car sit there after dark about a 100 metres from the Main outer wall raises curiosity.
A check of the inner courtyard revealed someone had tried to send contraband into the courtyard by 'throwing' it over the wall.
They were investigating all sorts of detection means to pick up such attempts and with these 'Drones' so readily available now must be a constant worry.