Arrests in Italy

Gang smuggled cell phones into prison using drones

The smuggled smartphones were traded behind prison walls at prices of 1000 euros.(Bild: cn0ra - stock.adobe.com)

Four people have been arrested in Italy for allegedly smuggling drugs and cell phones into prisons using drones. The four men are suspected of using various methods to deliver prohibited material into prisons in the regions of Piedmont, Sicily, Marche, Campania and Abruzzo.

The drones are said to have been controlled by one of the accused, under the direction of convicts who supported the maneuvers from prison, according to the investigation conducted by the public prosecutor's office in the northern Italian city of Asti.

Smartphones smuggled illegally using drones were sold on to other inmates in the prisons at a price of 1000 euros. The cost of the smaller cell phones was 300 euros per device. The gang is said to have made a profit of almost 100,000 euros in the period from September to December 2023,