Gang That Utilized Drones For Prison Drops Jailed

Frankie McCamleyHendon Magistrates' Court


Harry LowLondon


A gang that utilized drones to smuggle drugs, weapons and mobile phones into jails has been imprisoned.


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


Shafaghatullah 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 thought they were outmaneuvering the authorities and jail authorities. What they didn't know is they underwent continual specialist security by Met officers."


All seven guys admitted their functions in a "severe, organised, and prolific enterprise" to provide Class B and C drugs, and communicating list A and B articles into prisons. The hearing was held at Hendon Magistrates' Court, where some Harrow Crown Lawsuit are being heard.


The males would travel by cars and truck to the prisons, often in the early hours of the morning, and fly bundles filled with contraband through cell windows.


CCTV video footage reveals some of the gang connecting fishing wire to a drone which was tied to a package and melted utilizing a lighter to protect it. This was then flown to the prisoners in their cells.


The gang likewise targeted jails in Norwich, Leicester, Onley in Northamptonshire and Bedford.


At the centre of the conspiracy was Mohseni, an Afghan nationwide who was granted leave to stay 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 almost every drop, organising flights, operating the drones, co-ordinating drivers and lookouts, dealing with payments totalling more than ₤ 30,000, and communicating directly with prisoners utilizing illicit smart phones inside the jails.


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


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


It consisted of cannabis, capsules of Pregabalin known as "new Valium", and tablets of Alprazolam commonly offered under the brand Xanax.


Another plan was intercepted inside Wandsworth Prison, after police alerted staff of a drone flight to a specific cell. The plan consisted of cannabis, cigarettes and five iPhones.


Financial investigations money being moved from partners of serving detainees to fund the operation.


In 2015, the chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor alerted of the increased danger drones would present for smuggling weapons and drugs into jails.