The Prison Service has made "very little progress" in enforcing a formal demand to stop drones from delivering drugs into HMP Manchester, the chief inspector of prisons for England and Wales has concluded. Charlie Taylor's warning follows an urgent notification issued for the prison in July 2024, which required the government to produce an action plan to tackle safety issues.
In a report published on 14 April 2026, Taylor stated that despite the notification, the prison remains "plagued" by the problem of drones smuggling contraband. His inspection found that the jail, one of the country's worst performing, continues to struggle with high levels of violence and substance misuse, with drones being a key supply route for drugs.
The Ministry of Justice acknowledged the findings, stating that it is investing Β£100 million in prison security, including funding for new detection technology to combat drones. However, the watchdog's report indicates that these measures have yet to yield significant results at HMP Manchester, where the threat persists.
