Single Canadian Prison Sees Nearly 100 Illegal Drone Deliveries in 2022

The threat of drones smuggling drugs, weapons, and other contraband into prisons is on the rise.

Jack Daleo

Friday, June 23, 2023 at 04:47 PM ET

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Drones increasingly are being used to deliver contraband, such as drugs, into prisons. [Courtesy: Pixabay]

Key Takeaways:

Drones are increasingly used to bypass traditional security and deliver contraband like drugs, weapons, and cell phones into prisons in both Canada and the U.S.
This problem is rapidly escalating, with a single Canadian prison experiencing a nearly tenfold increase in drone deliveries over five years, contributing to a rise in prison violence and overdoses.
Authorities are struggling to combat the issue due to slow implementation of counter-drone technologies, the rapid advancement of drone capabilities, budget limitations, and complex legal restrictions, particularly in the U.S.

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Prison security measures, such as massive walls, barbed wire fortifications, and heavy steel doors, generally suffice to prevent inmates from getting out. They also used to be great at keeping drugs and other contraband from getting in—until recently.

According to statistics from Correctional Service Canada (CSC), obtained by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. via a pair of access-to-information requests (the Canadian analog to the U.S. Freedom of Information Act), a single Ontario prison saw nearly 100 drones deliver drugs, weapons, cell phones, and other contraband to inmates in 2022.