Gang That Used Drones For Prison Drops Jailed

Frankie McCamleyHendon Magistrates' Court


Harry LowLondon


A gang that used drones to smuggle drugs, weapons and cellphones into jails has been jailed.


An approximated 75% of drone drops across London's jails were due to the seven men who targeted prisons consisting of Wormwood Scrubs, Brixton, Pentonville and Wandsworth.


Mohseni, 29, Hashim Al-Hussaini, 28, Mohammed Hamoud, 22, Faiz Salah, 29, Zahar Essaghi, 51, Mustafa Ibrahim, 30, and Emanuel Fisniku, 25, were sentenced at Harrow Crown Court.


Det Insp John Cowell stated: "This highly organised gang believed they were outsmarting the authorities and prison authorities. What they didn't understand is they underwent continual professional security by Met officers."


All seven males admitted their functions in a "severe, organised, and prolific business" to supply Class B and C drugs, and communicating list A and B short articles into jails. The hearing was held at Hendon Magistrates' Court, where some Harrow Crown Court cases are being heard.


The guys would take a trip by vehicle to the prisons, frequently in the early hours of the early morning, and fly packages filled with contraband through cell windows.


CCTV video reveals some of the gang attaching fishing wire to a drone which was connected to a plan and melted utilizing a lighter to secure it. This was then flown to the prisoners in their cells.


The gang also targeted prisons in Norwich, Leicester, Onley in Northamptonshire and Bedford.


At the centre of the conspiracy was Mohseni, an Afghan nationwide who was given leave to remain as a child in the UK in 2003.


He was sentenced to five years and three months and will serve a minimum of 40% of that.


He was described in court as having the leading role behind nearly every drop, arranging flights, running the drones, co-ordinating chauffeurs and lookouts, managing payments amounting to more than ₤ 30,000, and interacting directly with detainees utilizing illicit mobile phones inside the jails.


His defence lawyer argued the 29-year-old had actually developed up financial obligations of about ₤ 30,000 from a betting dependency and feared for his safety.


The court heard that one drone crashed and was seized by the authorities at HMP Wandsworth.


It consisted of marijuana, capsules of Pregabalin referred to as "brand-new Valium", and tablets of Alprazolam frequently offered under the brand name Xanax.


Another bundle was obstructed inside Wandsworth Prison, after cops informed staff of a drone flight to a particular cell. The bundle contained cannabis, cigarettes and 5 iPhones.


Financial examinations revealed cash being transferred from partners of serving prisoners to money the operation.


Last year, the chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor cautioned of the increased risk drones would present for smuggling weapons and drugs into jails.