Weight loss jabs and anti-balding drugs 'on the menu' for prisoners as drone gangs fly huge shipments into Britain's jails
Weight loss jabs and hair loss drugs are on a “menu” of banned substances being flown into Britain’s prisons as drone gangs' smuggling techniques continue to advance, a watchdog has warned.
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Charlie Taylor, Chief Inspector of Prisons, says inmates in the UK’s jails can pick from a whole “menu” of banned substances making their way behind bars, including weight and hair loss drugs.
Gangs operating drones are flying them over prison walls for criminals behind bars with some packages weighing up to 4kg.
“This just shows the scale of the problem the Prison Service is facing.
“Along with weight-loss drugs and others for hair loss, prisoners can buy anabolic steroids along with illegal drugs like cannabis and ketamine,” Mr Taylor said in his annual report of Britain’s prisons.
He added: “Prisoners in some jails are able to pick off a menu, choosing from a range of different drugs.”
The prison's chief said inmates often turn to drugs due to boredom adding that the gangs controlling drones have “transformed” the market in the prisons system.
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He warned shipments are becoming larger as the smuggling technology advances.
“The technology has become more advanced and the packages larger. This means as well as commonly used drugs such as spice, ketamine and cocaine, prisoners are now able to order cannabis and lifestyle drugs such as Ozempic, Minoxidil (for hair loss) and anabolic steroids as well as mobile phones, memory sticks and chargers.“
The watchdog published its annual report of Britain’s prisons on Tuesday.
Elsewhere in the report, Mr Taylor warned: ”We found worrying failings in security, with inadequate staff training, broken CCTV, netting that had not been replaced and windows that were easily breached.
“In most of these prisons, there were frighteningly high levels of violence often by fuelled the illicit economy.”He later added: “A failure across government to take this national security threat seriously means that many prisons are losing the fight against criminality.
“Senior figures in organised crime gangs seem to operate with impunity, building up successful prison networks that make enormous amounts of money.
“They exploit the many drug-addicted, mentally ill prisoners, whose families are often having to pay off substantial debts to prevent their son or partner from being assaulted.”
It comes as the Government is set to release a sting of prisoners early in an effort to relieve overcrowding. This part of the Sentencing Act 2026 is set to come into force in September.
Reports have suggested that killers, rapists and sex offenders could be among up to 6,000 criminals released from prison early in a few months time.
Ahead of an opposition day debate, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: “It is frankly disgusting that convicted rapists, paedophiles and grooming gangs are being let out early by Labour.
“We warned the Government their Sentencing Bill would do this, but they didn’t listen. Now even Andy Burnham is saying he wants to change the law, so groomers and rapists aren’t eligible for early release.
“If Labour MPs want to show they understand the fury that many people feel about this situation, they should vote for the Conservative Party’s motion and keep vile sex offenders behind bars.”
Andy Burnham, who is likely to be the next prime minister, is exploring how to tighten the scheme to prevent child sex offenders from walking free, according to The Sunday Times.
Labour former minister Jess Phillips called for “more exemptions within the release scheme”, including to keep adults who rape children in prison for longer.