Drone Drops Knives, Drugs Inside NY State Prison
New York State DOCCS via AP
Officials at New York’s Marcy Correctional Facility intercepted a drone delivery in the early hours of Saturday morning that contained knives, suspected drugs, and electronic devices. Around 1 a.m., staff noticed the drone releasing a package between dormitories inside the prison’s secure perimeter. The package was immediately seized, and state police along with bomb disposal experts were called after wires were seen protruding from it. Once it was deemed safe, authorities found two 8-inch double-edged knives, more than a pound of a green leafy substance, paper soaked in intoxicating chemicals, a cellphone, hair clippers, and bandanas.
The drone used in the delivery was later recovered approximately 50 miles east of Syracuse. No arrests have been made, and the investigation remains active. New York State Corrections Commissioner Daniel Martuscello described drone deliveries as an “evolving but imminent threat,” warning that they increase the risk of violence and endanger both staff and inmates. The state’s prison system has dealt with about a dozen similar drone incidents in recent years.
This episode is reinforcing Governor Kathy Hochul’s push to strengthen drone regulations. Her proposed measures include harsher penalties for unauthorized drone activity near correctional facilities and giving law enforcement more authority to detect and disable drones. The proposal has received strong support from the state correctional officers’ union. The use of drones to deliver contraband is not unique to New York; in South Carolina last year, a drone dropped crab legs, steak, and marijuana into a prison yard just weeks before Christmas.
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