A man who smuggled prohibited items into prison has been jailed for three-and-a-half years. 

Daniel Faria, of Cumberland Road, Plaistow, London, was sentenced on Friday (13/12) following an investigation by officers from the South East Regional Prison Intelligence Team in the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU) working with HM Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS). 

The 31-year-old pleaded guilty of conspiring to convey a List ' A ' prohibited article into a prison, conspiring to convey a List 'B' prohibited article into a prison and conspiring to convey a List 'C' prohibited article into a prison, between 30 March this year and 23 August. He also pleaded guilty to possessing criminal property to the value of £5,000 on 23 August this year, at a hearing at Lewes Crown Court on 24 August. 

SEROCU officers arrested Faria on 23 August. They seized around £3,000 in cash from his home. Drone-related equipment, cannabis, phones, sim cards, chargers, tobacco and knives were also found in a shed at the bottom of the garden. Some of the items were packaged and suspected to be ready to be flown into prisons. 

The court heard that Faria used drones to fly packages containing, drugs, phones and tobacco into prisons. 

He was charged in connection with the investigation on 24 August. 

Head of SEROCU Detective Chief Superintendent Steve Boniface said: “The supply of drugs and phones into prisons fuels the Serious Organised Crime economy, destabilises the security of the prison and has a detrimental impact on vulnerable prisoners.   

“SEROCU will continue to work closely with HMPPS to tackle this issue and bring those responsible for committing these offences to justice.” 

 

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