A Greenwich man was jailed for flying drones carrying contraband into prisons.
Mahamood Diallo Blin, 26, was sentenced to six years and 11 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to guilty to conspiracy to convey Class A drugs, conspiracy to convey mobile phones as well as conspiracy to convey tobacco.
He was linked to 37 other incidents of the same offence across London and the south east, following a joint investigation by Met Police and the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU).
Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Zara Baker said: “Smuggling illegal drugs into prison increases the risk of violence towards those working within prisons and to other inmates.
“It adds to the struggles faced by those affected by addiction and attempting to rehabilitate while serving their sentences.
“Blin’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the offences he committed and I hope his sentence sends a clear message that offenders will be brought to justice.”
The Metropolitan Police became aware of Blin’s actions after a crashed drone was found inside HMP Pentonville by staff, followed by an investigation being launched August 2023.
This led to detectives linking the device to a similar incident at HMP Coldingley the previous year.
Photos released by the Met show the large amount the drones were capable of carrying and the illegal imports which put pressure on the prison system.
A SEROCU spokesperson said: “We have been able to ensure that someone who was prolifically using drones to fly prohibited items into the prison estate with complete disregard for the harm this caused, has been stopped in his tracks.”
The Met Police urged people who with information about criminality involving drugs to call their local police force on 101 or the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Photo credit: Metropolitan Police
Featured image credit: Flickr
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