- Britain's chief inspector of prisons, Charlie Taylor, has warned that drug dealers are operating with impunity in jails, as drug-related deaths reach a record high.
- New figures reveal 48 drug-related deaths in prisons in England and Wales in the year ending March 2025, a 2,300 per cent increase since 2010.
- The crisis is exacerbated by drones, which can deliver up to 11kg of lethal substances, including synthetic drugs, into prisons.
- Mr Taylor has urged the government to take urgent, cross-departmental action, including collaborating with the Ministry of Defence to combat drone smuggling.
- Grieving families are calling for greater protection for prisoners, saying they should not have to worry whether their loved ones will make it out of jail alive.
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