Several states in the , including South Carolina, are now dealing with a persistent and growing problem of drone deliveries into prison grounds. These deliveries often occur in the middle of the night and reportedly drop contraband for inmates.
According to a CNN report, there has been a massive surge in deliveries at prisons across the country, especially in South Carolina prisons. Earlier this winter, a drone flew into the Turbeville Correctional Institution yard and dropped a three-foot package before speeding away, the captain of the drone hunting team for South Carolina’s state prisons told the news outlet.
Inside the package, officials as per the report recovered tobacco, marijuana, ecstasy, and four phones, which the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) predicts are worth a combined $165,700 in the “prison economy.”
State attorneys general write to National Security Council
The problem has reportedly become so pervasive that state attorneys general from at least 21 states wrote a letter to the US National Security Council in March and sought help to handle the steep increase in drone drops over prison grounds, namely through the loosening of restrictions that they say limit the way state and local law enforcement can respond.
The attorneys general wrote, “This type of is happening all over the country, and the consequences are severe,” adding, “The introduction of drugs contributes to addiction, violence, and overdose incidents. Smuggled weapons heighten the risk of assaults and coordinated acts of violence. Contraband cell phones enable incarcerated individuals to continue criminal enterprises, including fraud schemes, witness intimidation, and violent crime.”
Drone drops a regular occurrence for South Carolina
While contraband is not a new problem in the US, dropping it via drones has become a regular occurrence for the drone captain. This year, as of April 24, its 21 state prisons have dealt with 75 drone smuggling incidents and recorded 273 such incidents in 2025, according to a department spokesperson.
Drones now fly right up to a prison yard or an inmate’s window and deliver a package. Describing it, a South Carolina drone captain said, “kind of like a DoorDash.”
Other methods of sneaking contraband into a prison include throwing it over a facility’s fence, coordinating via the mail, and, in some cases, involving corrupt corrections officers.
Increasing trend of weapons smuggling in prison via drones
South Carolina is among the many states that are now witnessing a surge in weapons like knives and blades entering facilities via drones.
Earlier in March, Florida’s attorney general announced an 81-year prison sentence for a man convicted of orchestrating a drone smuggling operation that delivered razor blades, drugs, and other contraband to multiple facilities in March. In New York, the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision called for stronger laws after detecting a drone carrying double-edged knives near a facility in Utica. Meanwhile, Georgia’s attorney general said the state averages 58 drone-related prison incidents each month, often involving weapons, razors, and narcotics.
List of items that get delivered to prisons via drones
While the drones most frequently bring in contraband items like drugs, cell phones, and weapons, SCDC noted that they have encountered some of the more unusual goods entering the facility. This includes:
- Crab legs and steak, complete with Old Bay Seasoning
2. Cigarettes
3. Dental jewelry or grills
4. Watches
5. Game consoles
6. Flavoured drink powder
7. Speakers
8. Stun guns
9. Escape tools
10. Stuff toys hiding drugs
The report underscores that drone-based smuggling is no longer a sporadic tactic but a rapidly expanding, organised threat across US prisons, driven by the ease, precision, and low risk these devices offer to offenders. Authorities warn that existing legal and technological limitations are struggling to keep pace, leaving prisons vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated deliveries that fuel violence, addiction, and criminal networks behind bars. As incidents continue to rise nationwide, officials stress that stronger federal coordination, updated laws, and advanced counter-drone measures will be critical to regaining control of prison airspace and safeguarding both inmates and staff.
