Fears drugs flown into Melbourne’s Port Phillip Prison via drone
A MAXIMUM-SECURITY prison was placed into lockdown after staff and inmates saw a drone hovering overheard, raising concerns prisoners may have been using the remote-controlled craft to get drugs into the jail.
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AUTHORITIES are investigating why a drone was flown over a maximum-security Melbourne prison this month.
Staff and prisoners saw the remote-controlled craft hovering over Port Phillip Prison.
The jail was placed into lockdown as a result and the Herald Sun has been told prison staff are concerned criminals could have been using the drone to get drugs into the jail.
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It is possible the drone could have been operated from nearby industrial buildings.
Drones are regarded as a serious threat to prison security. The state government this year moved to clamp down on their use near prisons.
It is now an offence to fly one within 120m of a jail or youth justice centre.
One prison source said the risk associated with drones was lower than for other methods of smuggling items into jails.
“It’s probably better than taking your chances getting drugs through the visitor centre,” the source said.
It was revealed in 2016 that tennis balls containing drugs, mobile phones and tobacco were being thrown over the walls of Port Phillip — which is operated by private company G4S. And in 2014, police intercepted a drone being used to deliver drugs to the Metropolitan Remand Centre.
This year, the Herald Sun revealed plans by the state Opposition to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars for a fleet of six to 10 drones with cutting edge technology.
Those drones would have infra-red and heat detection technology as well as wide visibility CCTV to patrol prison perimeters to stop contraband being smuggled into jails.
The drones could also be used to monitor prison carparks and entry areas for suspicious behaviour, particularly during weekend visits.
Director of justice operations at G4S, Brett McMerrin, said: “G4S can confirm that earlier this month, a drone was observed flying over Port Phillip Prison. As a safety precaution, the prison was locked down.
“The safety and security of the prisoners was not compromised and there was no evidence of drugs found.”
Earlier this year, prison authorities in the US state of South Carolina launched a drone surveillance program.
That program sees drones patrol the perimeters of the state’s 21 prisons. Cameras attached to the drones are monitored around the clock and prison staff are alerted if something suspicious occurs.