Man arrested for smuggling cell phones and drugs into Brians 1 prison with a drone

BarcelonaPrison workers are accustomed to two classic methods in which inmates try to get hold of prohibited objects such as cell phones and drugs: having someone bring them in during a visit or bringing them in themselves upon returning from leave. But there is a third, more recent method, which involves having someone from outside deliver them using a drone. And, just this week, the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) arrested a man who had brought cell phones and drugs into Brians 1 prison using this method. This comes after workers at Brians 2, the adjacent prison, alerted them last week that they had detected a drone carrying drugs, cell phones, and other prohibited objects in prison.

According to information released this Wednesday, the arrested man is a 32-year-old man who allegedly launched a drone several times heading for Brians 1. The Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) arrested him on Monday in Masquefa (Anoia) after monitoring him with a police drone, and he was brought before a court this Wednesday. Back in early September, prison officials found a package containing hashish, cocaine, and electronic equipment that a drone had dropped in one of the prison yards.

The flight detection system installed in the prison has confirmed the presence of a total of six unauthorized drones in the center's restricted airspace. This detection system is part of a pilot test that has been carried out in Brians 1 and Brians 2 for about three weeks, according to sources from the Department of Justice. Union sources point out that the "avalanche" of drones detected at these two centers may have accelerated the implementation of this system and add that workers are still undergoing training to learn how to operate it.

Shipments launched into the yard

However, the information gathered with this system allowed the Mossos d'Esquadra (Spanish Police) to track these six flights to determine the exact point from which the device took off and locate the pilot. Later, on September 19 and 20, the same drone was detected again, making two more flights over the prison's security zone. The Mossos d'Esquadra, who were already on alert, used a police drone to record a man arriving at the area, preparing the aircraft, taking off, and, a few minutes later, collecting it and leaving. This time, officers were also able to record the same man arriving home.

After the flight on September 20, prison officers found another package in a courtyard containing electronic equipment, hashish, and cocaine. Prison sources explain that it is common for these drone deliveries to be carried out by the sender, who drops the package in an area outside the prison, agreed upon with the recipient. Typically, inmates choose a location within the facility they know they'll arrive before the rest of the inmates, for example, based on their work or responsibilities within the prison. However, if a delivery isn't expected, the package or bag could go unnoticed or be mistaken for trash by others. Another method that has been detected in some state prisons involves tying the package to the drone with a string and holding it close to the cell window until the inmate can reach it.