Mahamood Diallo Blin gets almost seven years for using drones to smuggle drugs and phones into prisons.
A court sentenced Blin on Monday, February 24. He received six years and eleven months after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges involving drugs, phones, and tobacco.
The police started an investigation in August 2023 after prison staff found a crashed drone inside Pentonville. It contained drugs and mobile phones. Detectives then connected it to an older crash that happened at HMP Coldingley a year before.
Police and a crime unit worked together to identify 37 drone deliveries into prison. The deliveries included drugs, tobacco, and phones. Blin was charged on March 5, 2024, for these crimes.
A detective inspector spoke about the case, highlighting the police focus on tackling drug dealing. Smuggling drugs increases prison violence and hurts inmates trying to recover. Blin’s sentence shows the seriousness of these crimes.
A spokesperson from a prison intelligence unit added that stopping drugs entering prisons is a priority. They worked with police and the prison service to stop someone using drones to fly items into prison. They will continue to disrupt this activity, as it fuels organized crime.