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Inmate Used Drones to Smuggle Drugs, Steroids, Phones in Prison

One man serving time in a Manchester jail used technology to set up an entire drug contraband operation, and then to smuggle drugs, steroids and phones inside the prison, across the prison walls.
One of the drones used by Darren Dunn to fly drugs over the prison walls, to be sold later to inmates 5 photos
Photo: GMP
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His name is Darren Dunn, 35, and he was serving an indeterminate sentence for “public protection,” Manchester Evening News reports. He was at the Category B Forest Bank jail in Salford, Greater Manchester, and he set up a 6-person drug smuggling operation, with himself as a gangleader.

The operation was successful for a couple of years, with 3 of Dunn’s crew making regular flights to Barcelona, Spain, to bring cannabis and the so-called “zombie drug” Spice. Police have said that they made at least 2 successful transports from the Catalan city, with the 3rd being intercepted by the border police.

After the crew brought the drugs back to the UK, they would be flown over the prison walls by means of drones and retrieved by inmates by hand, through holes in the walls. Dunn would coordinate all operations on his iPhones, with police finding 2 such devices hidden in his cell.

On one occasion, police caught one crew member outside Dunn’s prison and while he fled, they found damning evidence in his backpack, which he had left behind: a drone and 2 knotted socks, in which various items had been stowed away. These included 15 mobile phones with chargers, SIMs, Spice, cannabis and steroids; the drugs alone would have been worth £27,700 once inside the prison walls.

The drone was analyzed and revealed that it had conducted over 20 flights over the prison area.

On another occasion, police noticed two crew members setting up a drone outside the prison walls, but they weren’t able to apprehend them.

With the entire operation dismantled, Dunn has been sentenced to 10 more years behind bars.

Police reports suggest that use of the drug Spice in prisons is at an all-time high, fueling violence among inmates. Despite all efforts, they are not efficient in stopping it from getting inside.
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
Elena Gorgan profile photo

Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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