Plot to fly £30k worth of contraband into Strangeways and Forest Bank foiled after cops raid house

A plot to fly tens of thousands of pounds worth of drugs and mobile phones into a prison with a drone has been foiled. Police raided a house in Moss Side in Manchester and recovered a drone, drugs and other contraband already packaged ready to be flown to prisoners.

It is suspected the plan was to fly the haul, worth more than £30,000, to inmates, into either Strangeways or Forest Bank prison. Officers from GMP's Operation Tahara struck at dawn today at an address in Staycott Street. GMP said: "After gaining entry to the address a search was carried out with officers recovering a drone and drugs believed to be destined for prison." The prison-ready drugs were cannabis and steroids.

Two men aged 18 and 33 were arrested alongside two women aged 20 and 39 on suspicion of drugs offences. They remain in police custody for questioning. The operation targets hotspots in the South Manchester and Trafford areas to prevent and reduce crime.

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Powers to stop and search; seize illegal objects; and arrest suspects, are used in the operation. But police also divert young people away from anti-social behaviour and crime through referrals to partner agencies and services.

Detective Constable Bell from Xcalibre Task Force said: “This is a great result, we acted on intelligence that we had collated and we have managed to seize a large amount of cash, Class B drugs and other contraband that was packaged and ready for being smuggled into prison that are thought to be worth an estimated £30,000 plus in prison.

“We are committed to tackling this type of