Prison leaders in Scotland have warned that corruption among staff is being used by organised crime groups to get illicit drugs into prisons, and officials are pressing for new legal powers, including no-fly zones over prison sites, to disrupt deliveries by drone.
Officials from the Scottish Prison Service told Holyrood’s criminal justice committee that corruption is a recognised "method of entry" for contraband and that staff are being targeted with approaches and financial incentives. They said the service is working with police and government agencies to strengthen detection, reporting and prosecution.
Jim Smith, head of operations and public protection at the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), said all staff receive briefings on anti-corruption policy and are encouraged to report suspicions about colleagues. "Corruption is an issue within the Scottish Prison Service, just as it is in any prison service or any workforce," he told MSPs. "With the influence of serious organised crime groups, this is becoming what seems to be a real method of entry for commodity to come into prisons in recent years. We are working really, really hard both internally and with police colleagues to address that."
Gillian Walker, governor in charge of HMP Shotts, told the committee that only a very small percentage of staff are involved but that individuals "will approach staff regularly". The SPS said it is also exploring legislative changes to create specific misconduct-in-public-office offences for those involved in corruption.
Prison and police officials highlighted the growing use of drones to deliver drugs and other contraband. SPS chief executive Teresa Medhurst previously told MSPs there had been an increase in the use of technology, such as drones, to get drugs to prisoners. In response, officials have held talks with the UK Ministry of Justice and the Civil Aviation Authority about introducing restricted airspace above prisons.
Anti-drone no-fly zones were introduced in England and Wales in 2024, making it an offence to fly drones within 400 metres of prisons and young offender institutions. Under that regime, drone operators who break the rules can face fines and those caught smuggling items that contribute to violence or criminality in custody may be prosecuted and face lengthy sentences.
Detective Chief Superintendent Raymond Higgins of Police Scotland said a no-fly designation would be "helpful as a part of a suite of options to look to try to disrupt that type of activity." He said officials are studying how the approach has been implemented in England and Wales and how it should be administered in Scotland, but he said he would "definitely" support the principle.
The SPS disclosed in a freedom of information response that the number of incidents in which inmates were caught with drugs rose from 1,448 in 2022 to 2,188 in 2023 and 2,212 in 2024. Officials told the committee that the figures reflect an increased problem in custody that intersects with organised crime activity outside the prison estate.
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr criticised the Scottish Government's record on prison drug use and said evidence to the committee showed staff were vulnerable to gangs. "The SNP have miserably failed to tackle soaring drug use in Scotland’s prisons and it is clear organised crime gangs profit from creating misery," he said.
The SPS said it is bolstering internal anti-corruption training and working closely with Police Scotland to detect and investigate corrupt approaches. Because airspace regulation is reserved to the UK government, ministers in Edinburgh are engaging with UK colleagues to seek the necessary powers to introduce no-fly zones over Scottish prisons.
Officials said any legislative change would be one tool among many, including improved search procedures, technology to detect drones, strengthened staff vetting and reporting measures, and prosecutions for those caught facilitating smuggling. Prison leaders cautioned that any effective response would require co-ordinated action across criminal justice agencies and clear legal authority to police restricted airspace.
Committee members heard that addressing corruption and contraband in custody is part of wider efforts to reduce harm in prisons and tackle criminal networks that operate both inside and outside prison walls. The Scottish Government said it had recently contacted the Ministry of Justice and the Civil Aviation Authority to discuss options for airspace restrictions and other measures to prevent drones being used to deliver illegal items to prisons.