Four arrested with drone, drugs and contraband seized outside HMP Manchester

Officers from our north Manchester district alongside colleagues from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU) conducting an operation around HMP Manchester arrested four men and recovered a drone, drugs and contraband.

On Thursday 7 February 2025, we were alerted to a sighting of a drone which had been thought to have been flown from a car park on of Sherbourne Street West.

Upon entry to the car park, a number of men were identified and eventually arrested on suspicion of Conspiracy to Convey Prohibited Articles into Prison.

Shortly after detaining the four men – three in their 20s and another in his 30s - the drone came back and landed in a nearby area with the suspected package still attached.

Entry was gained to the nearby area, with the drone and package recovered, which included suspected Class A and Class B drugs.

All four men have since been released pending further investigations.

Over the past 12 months we have continued our efforts alongside His Majesty's Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS) and NWROCU - to disrupt, prevent and tackle serious organised crime involving drugs which are linked to the prison communities in Greater Manchester.

Operation Gatehouse will relentlessly pursue those who commit serious, organised crime within the prison estate or assist this offending.

Detective Sergeant Jamie Heaton from our Challenger north Manchester district said: “We arrested four men who have been released on bail for attempting to use a drone to smuggle drugs into HMP Manchester.

“The sophistication of these attempts continues to evolve, but so does our response. These arrests demonstrate our proactive commitment to disrupting the supply of illegal substances into our prisons.

“This isn't just about drugs and contraband - it's about dismantling organised crime networks that exploit vulnerable individuals both inside and outside prison walls. We'll continue to work tirelessly with our partners to identify, target, and prosecute those involved in these operations, sending a clear message that we will use every tool at our disposal to eradicate this problem."

Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, Lord James Timpson said: “I would like to thank our amazing prison staff for their role in these arrests. This Government is clamping down on the drugs and weapons that wreak havoc behind bars, and criminals who smuggle such items into our jails will feel the full force of the law.”