Prison officers share fears drones will smuggle guns into jails

In some cases, drones are being guided to specific windows of cells and operating off coordinates supplied by smuggled mobile phones inside Portlaoise Prison. File Picture: Collins Photos

Prison officers fear criminals will use drones to smuggle guns into jails, given they are already transporting in “unprecedented” levels of drugs, phones, and knives.

Staff say violence is soaring, with an almost 50% jump in prisoner on prisoner violence in the last year and a 32% increase in prisoner assaults on staff.