Drugs are being smuggled into prison yards through children’s helicopter toys that cost €15.
Associates are flying contraband over jail perimeter walls using little aircraft. One of the miniature helicopters was removed from the netting by staff at Wheatfield Prison in Dublin, Irish Mirroe reported.
A source told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “This is a new tactic and the last thing expected. These are cheap and far less expensive than using drones which can cost hundreds of euros each.
“They don’t care if they get caught in the netting as they cost nothing to buy. Drones were used a lot before the pandemic to drop drugs, and in some cases even takeaway food, over the wall.
“But that stopped after they kept getting intercepted by prison staff.” Other methods used include throwing flaming tennis balls and flaming socks stuffed with drugs over the boundary.
The Irish Prison Service made the most drugs and mobile phone seizures ever as a result of anti-drone technology installed in six facilities in 2021.
When asked about the toy helicopters a spokesman for the IPS said: “The Irish Prison Service does not comment on matters such as methodologies used to smuggle contraband into prisons for operational and security reasons.”