Inmates caught red-handed after drone flies mobile phones and drugs into Malaga prison

Spain's Guardia Civil police force alerted officials at Alhaurín de la Torre prison near Malaga to the presence of a drone that was heading towards module 9 on Tuesday night. Despite the difficulty in observing it in the dark, prison officers detected unusual activity in one of the cells and managed to catch the inmates who received the package it dropped off.

It happened around 3.30am, when the head of service alerted the officials, suggesting that they inspect both the yard and the interior of the prison. According to sources, it was not possible to intercept the drone at that very moment due to the speed with which these deliveries are made

However, prison officials began to monitor the cells from the outside in order to detect possible movements that might indicate a drone drop-off. The operation ended successfully: officers noticed unusual activity in one of the cells, as well as a strong smell of hashish.

With the support of other prison officers, they proceeded to enter the cell, where two inmates were caught handling a package containing two iPhones, a smaller phone, chargers, four hashish blocks - each weighing 216 grams - and marijuana buds.

The prisoners involved were transferred to the isolation wing of the jail and the seized items were placed at the disposal of the duty court to investigate the crimes committed by the suspects.

As a result, the Tu Abandono Me Puede Matar (TAMPM) staff union has called for the "urgent" installation of frequency jammers to stop the entry of illegal objects through the use of drones. According to the trade union, this is "an increasingly common and sophisticated practice". "Our resources should not be scarce and obsolete in the face of increasingly professional crime, which uses the most advanced means," said TAMPM, also demanding "more resources" for members of the Guardia Civil in charge of the control of the outer perimeter of the prison.

Trade union CSIF has also denounced the incident, stating that it proves the "lack of adequate technological means to detect and neutralise the entry of these aircraft carrying items, such as drugs, mobiles and weapons, that violate the security of the establishment".