'The real-life Italian job' - Gangs are using Instagram to order hits and smuggle drugs while behind bars

Criminal gangs are playing the prison system like a fiddle, "embarrassing" prison bosses by smuggling in games consoles and drugs, while continuing their criminal operations from the comfort of a prison cell, experts have warned.

Investigations have even exposed Instagram pages where prisoners can buy all sorts of gadgets to make life in jail more comfortable. These items are hidden inside of every day objects, while dangerous drugs like Spice are said to be reaching prisoners inside of privileged legal documents.

Normal, everyday things are being used to hide banned items and get them into prisons. Ads on one page show WiFi dongles, games consoles and smart TVs cleverly hidden inside alarm clocks, beard trimmers and DVD players to trick the prison guards, the Mirror reports.

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Crime experts say that these devices let criminals talk to their friends outside prison to plan serious crimes like kidnappings - just like in the film 'The Italian Job'.

By being in prison when potential crimes are committed, inmates are said to have the "perfect alibi" for not being involved. One Instagram page, called trick_a_screw in a thinly veiled reference to fooling prison guards, is said to have been in operation for two-and-a-half years before the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) cottoned on to the online service. A new page was set up shortly afterwards.

An investigation by the Killburn Times found that the smuggling ring is currently under investigation by the Ministry of Justice and at least one police force. After the prison smuggling page was shut down by Instagram, another near-identical account was set up. The brazen smugglers have posted videos on the social