‘Thriving Drugs Market’ at Highpoint Prison as Drones Deliver Illegal Substances

A “thriving drugs market” has been uncovered at a Suffolk prison, with inspectors warning that drones are being used to deliver large packages of illegal substances to inmates.

A report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons found serious concerns over drugs, violence and a lack of purposeful activity at HMP Highpoint, near Haverhill.

The Category C men's prison currently holds around 1,100 inmates and is due to become the largest public-sector prison in the country when new accommodation opens over the next two years.

28% of Random Drug Tests Positive

Inspectors said random drug testing had produced a 28% positive rate, highlighting the scale of the problem inside the prison.

“There was a thriving drugs market within the prison,” the inspection report stated.

Inspectors found that prison leaders did not have a comprehensive strategy for reducing drug use, while the prison service had failed to adequately protect the site's large open areas from drone deliveries.

Prisoners had reportedly cut holes in grilles to retrieve packages dropped by drones, with some deliveries described as being “often large”.

Inspectors also said cannabis could frequently be smelled around the prison.

Concerns Over Violence

The inspection also highlighted a significant increase in violence.

The rate of serious assaults had risen by 43%, with the concerns coming after the death of 28-year-old prisoner Krishan Rawal, who died following an attack at Highpoint in January.

Inspectors said the prison faced “serious challenges” in managing violence and drug use.

Too Few Activities for Prisoners

The report also criticised Highpoint for its provision of meaningful work and purposeful activity, with the prison again receiving a poor rating in this area.

Workshops and classrooms were often closed because of shortages of teachers and instructors.

Inspectors warned that having too many prisoners with too little to do was likely contributing to widespread drug taking.

A serious fire in April also resulted in one prison block being closed, disrupting some prisoners' progression towards a more open regime.

Prison Leaders Praised Despite Concerns

Despite the serious concerns, inspectors said Highpoint was generally well run and praised its experienced governor for providing effective leadership.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor said the prison had clean and well-maintained cells and communal areas, while staff development and engagement were also praised.

The offender management unit was commended for working long hours to complete sentence recalculations ahead of early releases.

An innovative dental service was also highlighted positively.

Prison Service Told to Act on Drone Threat

However, Mr Taylor warned that the expansion of the prison population would make tackling the problems even more important.

He said the prison service must do more to reduce Highpoint's vulnerability to drones and develop a drugs strategy that tackles both the supply of illegal substances and demand from prisoners.

He also stressed the importance of providing prisoners with sufficient, high-quality purposeful activity.

With Highpoint's population expected to increase substantially, inspectors' concerns over drugs, drones, violence and prisoner activity are likely to remain under close scrutiny.