A drone delivered a package containing knives, a cellphone, bandannas, hair clippers and a green leafy substance to an upstate New York prison after midnight, officials confirmed Wednesday. The drop occurred between two dormitories at the Marcy Correctional Facility.
Prison staff quickly recovered the package after the drone was detected flying above the facility at 1 a.m. Saturday. Investigators are now working to determine who was responsible, the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision stated.
The package contained two 8-inch (20-centimeter) double-edged knives and over a pound (about 530 grams) of the unidentified green leafy substance, wrapped in clear plastic and balloons.
Also found were five papers "saturated in intoxicating chemicals" and chargers and accessories for the two hair clippers, the department said.
The drone was recovered outside the prison, which is about 180 miles (290 kilometers) northwest of New York City,
Using drones to smuggle contraband into prisons is not unheard of. Department Commissioner Daniel Martuscello called it “an evolving but imminent threat” to the state correctional system, which has experienced about a dozen other drone incidents. The commissioner used the incident to lobby for state legislation designed to address illegal drone use.
The package recovered at Marcy had wires protruding from it, prompting a response from a bomb squad to make sure it did not pose an immediate threat.
Officials from the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) said the investigation underscores the need for legal reforms to combat the escalating threat of contraband delivered by air. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
