Authorities in New York state are raising concerns after drones have been spotted dropping packages containing cellphones, drugs, and weapons at two correctional facilities in a short span of time. Governor Kathy Hochul has taken steps to address this increasing security risk with new legislation.
The incidents took place at Wallkill and Sing Sing prisons, where officers discovered contraband delivered via drone flights during the night. A press release from the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association detailed the events.
At Wallkill Correctional Facility in Ulster, staff reported hearing a drone overhead before a package weighing over five pounds fell into the prison yard around 1 a.m. on May 26. Officers found a cell phone, a charging cable, a SIM card, and, notably, 15 sealed bags of marijuana along with a bag of unidentified pills.
Just days later, at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, personnel observed a drone drop a package containing what appeared to be marijuana, 15 pills, a set of Apple earphones, and a phone charging cord just before 4 a.m. on June 8. It remains uncertain if these recent incidents are connected to a similar drone drop that occurred at Mercy Correctional Facility in March.
In a separate announcement, the Georgia Department of Justice revealed that 12 individuals have been charged with using drones to smuggle contraband into various prisons across eight states. This trend of drone usage for illegal deliveries has grown significantly; the Federal Bureau of Prisons logged just 23 drone incidents in 2018, a figure that’s expected to escalate to 479 by 2024, as drugs, weapons, and cellphones increasingly enter federal facilities.
“As inmates and their associates innovate new ways to transport dangerous materials into prisons, the prevalence of drones in smuggling operations is alarming,” noted Joe Horacek, Mid-Hudson Regional Vice President of NYSCOPBA.
The new law signed by Hochul on June 17 is a response to these threats. Set to take effect on August 25, it will specifically prohibit the use of drones for delivering contraband to prisons or for flying over correctional facilities without authorization.
This issue is not limited to New York; reports indicate that prisons in South Carolina have seen drones delivering not just contraband, but even food like steak dinners and crab legs.
The investigation into the New York incidents is ongoing, with authorities focusing on identifying those involved in these drone operations.
