The British press has been unleashed in recent hours, following the alarm raised by the British body that oversees Her Majesty's prisons, through the voice of its chief inspector for England and Wales Charlie Taylor, who highlighted to the "BBC" the growing concern over the use of drones by criminal organizations to deliver illicit objects, such as drugs and mobile phones, inside prisons. Above all, "The delivery of prohibited objects to inmates in prisons in Manchester and Long Lartin, Worcestershire (which house some of the most dangerous men in the country, including terrorists, murderers and organized crime bosses), has become so regular that it even allows the possible introduction of weapons".

The chief inspector therefore placed particular emphasis on the potential of these aerial devices, capable of carrying up to 1.5 kg of material, and therefore also of introducing firearms into prison facilities. Taylor expressed concern about a possible loss of control of the airspace above prisons, which could lead to increased risks of armed riots, escapes and hostage-taking. He described the situation as a "threat to national security", exacerbated by recent inspections which revealed significant gaps in security camera coverage and anti-drone measures at the two prisons mentioned above.

A situation of vulnerability that requires, especially in maximum security institutions, the immediate strengthening of security measures in prison facilities to counter this new form of smuggling.

The Ministry of Justice responded by saying it had already done so by "improving security, with a new CCTV system and anti-drone nets". "This government has inherited failing prisons", a spokesperson lamented. "We are addressing this by investing in prison maintenance and security, working with the police and others to tackle serious organised crime, and expanding prisons to lock up dangerous criminals".

The fact is that the emergency has become almost tangible in these hours, and has emerged in all its gravity, despite the fact that the prison watchdog issued an urgent notification last October on the conditions in Manchester, stating that it was among the most violent prisons in the country. Not to mention the dangerous state of affairs in Long Lartin, which holds men convicted of terrorism crimes.