‘Like a small airport’: Feds nab biggest prison drone-smuggling operation in history
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times - Sunday, June 28, 2026
What to know
Drone smuggling into U.S. prisons has become a serious issue.
Federal authorities raided a sophisticated prison drone operation in Georgia.
A dozen people were charged with smuggling into at least 10 federal prisons.
The operation used drones to deliver drugs, cellphones and escape tools.
The idea of delivering packages by drone is relatively new and exciting for Americans at large. For prison officials, however, it has long been a reality — and a dangerous one at that.
Smugglers have kept some prisons supplied with a steady stream of drugs, cellphones and, in some instances, escape tools such as saw blades.
Federal authorities struck back last week by raiding what they said was the most sophisticated prison drone operation on record, charging a dozen people with smuggling into at least 10 federal prisons.
Drone smuggling at prisons, particularly in Georgia, has become so bad that the FBI’s special agent in charge of the Atlanta office said prisons “looked like a small airport” on some evenings.
“We are talking about supplies of drugs, cellphones, cigarettes, even blades that could be used as escape tools and weapons,” Special Agent Marlo Graham said as she helped announce the charges last week. “These items are going into the hands of murderers, violent gang members, conmen and others.”
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/jun/28/like-small-airport-feds-nab-biggest-prison-drone-smuggling-operation/
