‘Beefed up’ organised crime unit to target prison gangs in England and Wales

The chief inspector of prisons, Charlie Taylor, accused the police and prison service of ceding control of the airspace above HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire. Photograph: AP S (uk)/Alamy

The Prison Service is “beefing up” a cadre of officers dedicated to smashing gangs in prisons in the face of escalating drone use and drug-related violence, the prisons minister has said.

James Timpson said the work of the department’s serious organised crime unit is being expanded, and expressed concern that a minority of prison officers have been corrupted by “very manipulative people”.