Published by Robert L Senior Reporter on Thursday 10th April 2025 at 08:10hrs
Two men from Brierley Hill, Dudley, have been sentenced to prison for using drones to smuggle drugs, phones, and other prohibited items into prisons across the UK.
Josh Morris, 32, received a 42-month sentence, while Simon Woodall, also 32, was sentenced to 30 months.
Both men admitted to conspiracy to convey list A and list B prohibited articles into a prison.
The Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (YHROCU) launched an investigation after Morris’s arrest near HMP Frankland.
The investigation, which involved collaboration with law enforcement partners and His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) across the UK, linked Woodall to the conspiracy.
The pair’s criminal activities spanned multiple counties, including County Durham, Leicestershire, Cambridgeshire, Greater Manchester, Wiltshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire and the Humber, between August 2023 and February 2024.
They used sophisticated Unmanned Ariel Vehicles (UAVs) and flight mapping software to deliver packages containing Class A and B drugs, prescription medications, smartphones, memory cards, data dongles, and tobacco.
Detective Inspector Ollie Scoones of the YHROCU emphasized the complexity of the investigation and the importance of collaborative efforts in combating serious organized crime and the misuse of UAVs.
He stated, “The sentencing sends a clear message to those involved in serious organised crime that the YHROCU will continue to dismantle their operations, pursue prosecutions and prevent them from benefitting from the proceeds of criminal activity to protect communities from the harm they cause.”
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