A couple’s drone-based drug smuggling operation has been grounded after the pair were jailed for a combined seven years.
Sajad Hashimi and his wife Zerka Maranay made more than 100 drone drops into 11 jails and young offenders’ institutions in just over a year – the vast majority at a single prison, HMP Onley in Warwickshire.
Footage from one smuggling operation, published by police, shows a drone hovering over a prison at night while lowering mobile phones on a fishing line.
Drone pilot Hashimi, 27, flew his DJI Phantom 4 into prisons on 78 dates between August 2022 and October last year – making drops as far south as Dorset and as far north as Edinburgh, with his wife hiring cars to help along the way.
Maranay, 28, hired at least 20 cars at a cost of £17,000 and used her bank account to launder nearly £50,000 her husband had received for piloting the drones.
Serjad Hashimi flew drones over prisons to make illegal drops of drugs and mobile phones
His wife Zerka Maranay used her bank account to launder his ill-gotten gains and hired cars for him in order to make the drops
Footage recovered from the drones showed how the couple would use the remotely piloted vehicle to carry goods over prison walls
They would then lower the items to the ground using fishing lines under cover of darkness
Most of the drops were made into HMP Onley (pictured) – prompting an investigation by Northamptonshire Police
But the couple from Camden in north London were snared last October after Northamptonshire detectives began investigating a spike in drone drops at HMP Onley and discovered the Met Police was already looking into Hashimi’s activities.
Officers searched the couple’s home on August 3 last year and found a drone along with cocaine and cannabis.
Hashimi pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply Class A and B drugs into prisons and conspiring to convey List B prohibited articles into prisons.
Maranay admitted conspiring to convey prohibited articles into prisons and money laundering.
On Monday, Hashmini was jailed for a total of six years at Northampton Crown Court while Maranay was sentenced to 15 months.
Hashimi’s crimes were discovered after he crashed his white DJI Phantom 4 drone in the grounds of HMP Highpoint in Suffolk on July 4, 2023.
Fishing line and hooks had been attached to the drone with a package containing heroin, steroids, chargers, tobacco, SIM cards and mobile phones, worth £19,500.
Data from the crashed drone confirmed it had been responsible for 62 flights on 34 dates and seven different prison sites between January 3 and June 3 last year.
Despite crashing the drone, Hashimi acquired another one and continued flying packages into prisons undeterred.
The court heard that on August 17 last year Kent Police attended HMP Maidstone following reports of a drone flying over the prison.
A Nissan Qashqai, which had been hired by Maranay the previous day, was found by officers parked nearby.
Officers stopped Hashimi in the area and discovered he had the vehicle’s key – a search of the car recovered numerous drugs packages while a drone and controller were found hidden under a nearby van.
Hashimi was arrested and later bailed for being concerned in the supply of Class A and Class B drugs.
Data from the seized drone revealed that between June 15 and August 17 it had made 38 flights across 34 dates at seven prisons.
Multiple packages were recovered from inside prison grounds and the value of the cannabis alone was estimated to be between £29,450 and £74,970.
Detective Inspector Carrie Powers, of Northamptonshire Police’s serious organised crime team, said the investigation had been ‘very complex’ and the largest of its kind ever tackled by the force.
DI Powers added: ‘Tackling and preventing drug harm and serious organised crime are matters of priority for the force and we will continue to act to disrupt drug supply associated with organised gangs.’
Prisons and Probation Minister Edward Argar added: ‘Our beefed-up anti-drone no-fly zones – along with drug detection dogs and airport-style security – are helping us lock up organised criminals and crack down on drugs behind bars.’
The prisons targeted included Onley, The Mount, Maidstone, High Down, Guys Marsh, Garth, Wormwood Scrubs, Highpoint, Downview YOI, Brixton and Edinburgh.
