Feds Bust Ring that Allegedly Flew Drugs, Weapons into Prisons

Federal agents arrested nine people, most from Macon, in connection with a conspiracy that allegedly used drones to smuggle drugs, cell phones, tobacco, and weapons such as saw blades into prisons. The indictment, unsealed Wednesday, describes drone deliveries to 10 prisons across eight states, including two facilities in Georgia: one in Atlanta and one in Jessup. The U.S. Department of Justice characterized the operation as a “vast alleged conspiracy using drones to smuggle contraband.” The bust follows ongoing concerns in Georgia, where state corrections officials reported 120 inmates charged and 362 civilians arrested for contraband deliveries in the year through June 2025, with drones cited as a primary method.