Drug dealer jailed after trying to fly drugs into prison

A drug dealer has been jailed after trying to fly drugs and mobile phones into HMP Pentonville with a drone.

Charlie Adifiyi, 21, from Islington, attached 118 grams of cannabis, 71.7 grams of another psychoactive substance and two mobile phones to a drone before trying to send it over the prison wall.

But it was intercepted by plain-clothed officers working on Operation Airborne, a unit dedicated to reducing the number of drones getting into the prison, and Adifiyi’s DNA was found on the device.

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He had left the scene, but a search of his home uncovered another 476 grams of a psychoactive substance, with a prison value of £38,000, the Met Police said.

He pleaded guilty to three charges of conveying a prohibited article into prison and one count of possession of psychoactive substances with intent to supply.

He was jailed for three years at Blackfriars Crown Court on Monday.

CCTV shows the moment an officer spotted the package flying over the wall, and jumped up to grab it before it got to its destination.

Prisons Minister Sam Gyimah said: “I am determined to stem the flow of drugs into our prisons, and I want to pay tribute to the staff at HMP Pentonville and the police for preventing this haul from entering the prison system and undermining the stability and order at the jail.

“This conviction should send a strong message to others who may attempt to do the same; we will find you and put you behind bars.”