THE smuggling of illicit items including drugs, weapons and mobile phones behind bars is a difficult challenge facing the prison system.

But with the rise in the use of technology – in particular drone smuggling operations – security staff face increasing pressures as they fight to combat drugs and illegal items on the inside.

Jamie Hearse, who has worked in the security sector at HMP Risley on Warrington Road for a number of years, admitted that there are challenges ahead but added there are robust measures in place to stop illicit hauls from getting behind the walls.

“One of the main routes of smuggling is through social visits – when friends or family members come to visit,” he said.

“This is a difficult issue for us as we want to offer rehabilitation and for families to visit their partners, husband, brothers in jail.

“We try to normalise their lives but some people exploit that.”

To combat and catch attempts to smuggle contraband in there are search procedures in place, drugs dogs in operation, CCTV surveillance and prison staff watching over the visits.

“We have been quite successful in stopping them from coming in through visits,” said Mr Hearse. 

“We have a zero tolerance approach where they will get detained and arrested.

“Sometimes they feel pressured to bring something in.

“However there are signs to tell people what to do if they are feeling pressured.”

Contraband is a big business in prison with top-of-the-range phones costing more than £1,000 and drugs priced at up to six times the street value.

“These items are demand-led. If we have been successful in stopping these items coming in then the price goes up,” he added.

While certain security procedures must remain classified, Mr Hearse revealed they will take stringent action on those involved.

“If we identify a prisoner who is involved in drones we disrupt them and transfer them out of the prison,” he said. 

“This affects the family when we send them down south. We have several operations and staff who patrol the jail from the inside. 

“It’s a new aspect to the way illicit items are brought into prison and there are a number of projects being done to prevent that. We are acutely aware we hold 1,100 prisoners and some may have substance misuse issues so we have support services in place.”

SMUGGLING operations are a serious threat to prison security so any suspects are immediately detained.

“They will be arrested and subjected to a very unpleasant strip search,” said detective sergeant Mark Naylor at Warrington CID.

“If there is any suspicion that the drugs are secreted in their bodies they may be detained for a long period of time on the order of the magistrates in order for them to pass the drugs naturally.

“They may be taken to hospital for the doctors to remove items from their body cavities.

“They will be arrested, interviewed and almost certainly charged.

“My advice is don’t do it.

“We will catch you and send you to prison. It is as simple as that.”

Officers at Cheshire Constabulary work closely with HMP Risley to bring those involved to justice.

Regular patrols take place in the area surrounding the prison.

He said: “We would encourage anybody in the area to report any sightings of drones or suspicious activity in the vicinity of the prison. 

“It does not need to be at the prison wall – you could be talking a kilometre away. 

“It’s a huge threat to prison discipline because the drones can bring in significant quantities of drugs, psychoactive substances and mobile phones and one of the biggest concerns is weapons.

“It is concerning because often vulnerable people are put in a position of becoming a criminal in order to support the criminality of other people. 

“I don’t think people understand quite how seriously this is taken by the courts.”

TWO drug smugglers who were caught using drones to drop off illicit items into HMP Risley are now behind bars serving lengthy prison sentences.

One man was sentenced to four years and eight months after he became involved in smuggling contraband when prisoners heard he flew remote control helicopters as a young boy.

An accomplice would visit his house to pick him up and hand him the drone along with the prohibited items before driving him close to the prison to operate the device. 

But on each of the four occasions he piloted the drones, the illegal stash did not make it inside the prison.

On July 8 a drone was spotted in the air near to HMP Risley.

The suspect ran off but he was arrested by police who found him in the possession of cannabis, phones and USB leads.

He later admitted conveying prohibited items into HMP Manchester, HMP Lancaster Farms and HMP Risley.

A second man was detained after he was caught outside the prison with a drone in his bag on Silver Lane.

It was evident following an investigation that he was trying to smuggle drugs inside the wall. 

The 23-year-old admitted attempting to sneak the drugs into HMP Risley on August 12.

He was jailed for more than three years after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply class A, class B and class C drugs into the prison on Warrington Road.