- A seven-member gang, led by Shafaghatullah Mohseni, has been jailed for orchestrating a sophisticated drone operation to smuggle drugs, weapons, and mobile phones into at least nine UK prisons across London and the South East of England.
- Between December 2024 and February 2025, the gang carried out approximately 70 'drops', involving around 140 drone flights, delivering contraband such as cannabis, Xanax, Valium, flick knives, and tiny mobile phones directly to inmates' cell windows.
- Mohseni, described as the 'grand delivery driver', received over £30,000 in payments for arranging these illicit shipments, which Judge James Lofthouse likened to an 'Uber Eats or Deliveroo' service for prisoners, undermining prison safety and security.
- The Metropolitan Police's 'Operation Buzzbin' investigation led to the arrest of Mohseni and three others en route to a drop at HMP Norwich, where a drone, packages of contraband, and a knife were recovered from their car.
- Mohseni was sentenced to five years and three months in prison as the conspiracy's leader, while his six accomplices – Hashim Al-Hussaini, Mohammed Hamoud, Faiz Salah, Zahar Essaghi, Mustafa Ibrahim and Emanuel Fisniku – received sentences ranging from 27 to 33 months for their roles.
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Gang jailed for drone smuggling scheme likened to ‘Uber Eats for prisoners’
