Prisons across the United States are experiencing an escalating security threat from drones, which are being used to smuggle contraband, officials report, according to Baltimore Chronicle with sources from ABC News. Law enforcement authorities warn that organized crime groups, including gangs and Mexican cartels, are increasingly relying on drones to transport drugs, weapons, cellphones, and other illicit goods directly into correctional facilities.
The threat has become particularly visible in Georgia, where an inmate at Calhoun State Prison operated a fraudulent call center, scamming healthcare professionals in Iowa out of more than $500,000. Joseph Vogel, the detective investigating the case, explained that the inmate used drones to deliver phones, enabling the scheme to operate from within the prison.
Tyrone Oliver, commissioner for the Georgia Department of Corrections, described the situation as “a threat from above,” highlighting that drone drops have become a daily occurrence. Last year, during a traffic stop in Georgia, officers discovered a drone carrying drugs and cellphones. Analysis of the drone’s GPS data revealed widespread drone activity over multiple prisons, prompting Operation Skyhawk. The investigation dismantled a smuggling network, resulting in more than 150 arrests, including prison staff and inmates, and the seizure of contraband valued at over $7 million.
Despite these enforcement measures, drone deliveries continue at an unprecedented rate. In November alone, the Georgia Department of Corrections reported 71 drone-related incidents, the highest recorded in a single month. Advanced drone technology allows devices to fly up to 100 miles while carrying payloads between 50 and 220 pounds, occasionally even capable of lifting a human being.
Correctional officials emphasize that current Federal Aviation Administration rules classify drones as registered aircraft, preventing prison staff from legally bringing them down. This regulatory gap leaves facilities essentially defenseless against airborne threats. Robert Green, executive director of the American Correctional Association, stressed that criminal organizations maintain the advantage because authorities can detect drones but cannot legally intercept them.
Lawmakers are considering new measures to address the threat. The National Defense Authorization Act under review this month includes provisions granting correctional facilities the authority to detect, track, and counter drones posing a public safety risk. Green and other corrections officials have advocated for this “drone mitigation authority,” citing the immediate and evolving danger to prisons nationwide.
Vogel noted that the proliferation of drones directly facilitates criminal activity, stating that “if we didn’t have drones flying into prisons, there would be a lot less scamming.”
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