Staff members at a multi-level security institution in Ontario received a late gift for the holidays after intercepting a package containing various contraband and other unauthorized items at a multi-level security institution.
A statement released by Correctional Service Canada reported staff members at Joyceville Institution, a security institution located near Kingston, Ontario, seized items as 149 grams of cannabis and 109 grams of tobacco, in addition to rolling papers, cell phones and phone accessories. Joyceville Institution has numerous security tools available to staff members, such as ion scanners and detector dogs to search buildings, personal property, inmates and visitors. The CSC did not state the total institutional value of the contraband discovered and reports that the items were being delivered by drone.
The same institution was the recipient of a similar drop in October 2022. Staff members intercepted a package containing 205 grams of tobacco, 215 grams of cannabis, 132 grams of cannabis concentrate, 110 grams of hashish, as well as cell phones and various accessories in what they suspect was another drone drop. Other drops have been discovered at the institution dating back to 2019, usually consisting of the same items: tobacco, cannabis, and accessories such as rolling papers. Drones were also believed to be involved in the previous drops as well.
Contraband and other unauthorized items have been seized at other institutions across Canada, including at Drummond Institution in Quebec, where 332 grams of hashish and 600 grams of tobacco was seized on December 18 and December 20. Also in Quebec, Cowansville Institution reported a seizure of 332 grams of hashish on December 12. Staff at the medium-security Bath Institution seized about 196 grams of cannabis concentrate, 62 grams of tobacco, 40 grams of cannabis and 30 grams of cocaine on December 15.
In the U.S., drones are being used for a variety of reasons, including as a way to deliver cannabis as well as a way to locate illicit cannabis grow operations. A Seattle drone company previously announced plans to start a service to deliver cannabis to dispensaries, complete with iPads installed as a payment system.
In an effort to locate illegal cannabis operations, officials in Nevada County, California began a pilot program that would use drones to spot illegal cannabis grows, and used the risk of wildfires as one of the justifications for the program.
“One of the fire events happened during the Jones Fire of 2020, pulling air attack resources off the Jones Fire to address this concurrent threat to life and property,” said Craig Griesbach, county building director. “Cannabis-related violations, including generators that were not permitted on both sites, could have been verified with the use of (drone) technology and therefore mitigated before these fires started.”
County code and compliance divisions program manager, Jeff Merriman, said the program began with a training period and the program took place from May to August 2022. Currently, the program is reviewing program activity and data and will eventually submit a report to supervisors. In addition to the training for the program, there is a mandatory licensing exam and test to hold a drone pilot license, which is handled by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Police in the United Kingdom have also used drones to discover illegal cannabis grow operations. Lincolnshire police said over 100 cannabis plats were seized at a Lincolnshire property after its teams discovered multiple rooms with cannabis plants in various stages of growth after an initial exploration was carried out using Lincolnshire Police Drones. Thermal imaging was used to give reasonable suspicion that cannabis cultivation was actually taking place.
“The grow was illegal and also posed a significant fire risk in a row of terraced houses. We used a variety of tactics, including our drone team, to build up a picture that led to this morning’s action,” Inspector Colin Clarkson said.
