Two arrested as drone crashes in prison smuggling attempt

Two men have been arrested after a drone attempting to smuggle contraband into Midlands Prison crashed into the nearby Prison Officers Training College this afternoon.

The incident happened after 3pm when the drone crashed into the roof of the training college. It has been recovered by Laois Fire and Rescue Service.

Gardaí arrested the two men a short time later. They are being detained at a nearby garda station and can be questioned for up to 24 hours.

The drone, along with the contraband it was carrying, are to be forensically examined.

The Prison Officers Association said there were almost 400 documented drone deliveries of drugs, weapons and other contraband to Irish prisons last year but there are more such incidents which have not been recorded.

The Irish Prison Service has transferred a number of inmates from Dublin who are suspected of receiving contraband, to other prisons around the country, as part of the effort to tackle drugs and weapons smuggling.

Authorities suspect that this has led to an increase in drone deliveries to other prisons, including Midlands Prison.

The Irish Prison Service said in a statement this evening it can "confirm it is working with An Garda Síochána to recover a drone that crashed into the Irish Prison Service College, Portlaoise".

"As the matter is subject to garda investigation it would not be appropriate to comment further," the statement added.

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