Anti-drone no-fly zones for prisons

New laws have come into force, which make it a criminal offence to fly drones within 400 metres of prisons and young offender institutions.

Previous rules meant police could only act if there was evidence of contraband being smuggled.

Those who break the rules will be up to £2,500 and those who do smuggle illicit items could face ten years in prison.

The new law comes as stats have revealed that the number of drones captured or sighted within prison grounds has more than doubled between 2019 and 2021.

Prisons and Probation Minister Edward Argar said: "We are working harder than ever to prevent the smuggling of contraband into our prisons and this is the latest step to keep ahead of the tactics exploited by organised criminals.     

"These new anti-drone measures – along with our advanced airport-style x-ray security and drug detection dogs – will crackdown on those illicit items that fuel violence behind bars."