Law enforcement try to intercept "Drone Attacks" at SC prisons - wpde.com
BISHOPVILLE, S.C. (WACH) — Twenty arrests have been made and more than 100 pounds of contraband has been seized following an investigation at Lee Correction Institution in Bishopville. The eight month investigation by several agencies is part of the Department of Correction’s battle against contraband getting into their facilities.
“What's happening and what we’re seeing is a lot more sophistications. Kind of like an intelligence attack," said Bryan Stirling, Director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
Drone attacks— that’s what law enforcement is calling criminals’ way of sneaking contraband into prisons that they say is becoming more common.
“They are very creative. They are very, very creative. You’d think that a person that’s incarcerated wouldn’t be doing this but it’s business as usual. They’re still running their operation from the outside like they’re still out in the streets doing it," said Lee County Sheriff Daniel Simone whose agency ran the operation.
The Lee County Sheriffs Department and South Carolina Department of Corrections announced this week that they made twenty arrests and seized around 843 grams of meth, 114 grams of crack cocaine along with other drugs, 25 cellphones, along with knives and guns at Lee Correctional. They also seized 12 drones.
“What they’ll do is- they’ll come in with one drone, and they’ll try to distract us so we chase that one drone, then they’ll bring the other drone in and drop the contraband," said Stirling.
Law enforcement says in this latest case, they actually detected a drone crew while they were arresting the first drone crew.
“All the ones that we’ve intercepted... The question is how many have we missed?" said Simon.
Investigators say there are frequent “night attacks” on the Bishopville prison. They say criminals are flying drones carrying contraband over prison fences, often using several drones at one time.
“I don’t think that we’re ever going to stop it. But I think we can slow it down," said Simon.
Law enforcement say the plan to continue their efforts to intercept drone attacks.
“What they need to know is that law enforcement around the state, sheriff’s departments, and others are watching them and if they do get caught trying to smuggle contraband in—they’re going to get charged and prosecuted," said Stirling.
According to officials, as many as 250 drones were detected at prisons statewide just last year.
source: https://wpde.com/news/local/law-enforcement-try-to-intercept-drone-attacks-at-sc-prisons
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