Drone delivered contraband is becoming a persistent security problem inside US prisons, with officials in several states reporting a sharp rise in nighttime drops over prison grounds.
South Carolina prisons have seen a marked increase in drone activity, including one recent incident at Turbeville Correctional Institution where a drone dropped a three-foot package before flying off, per CNN. Authorities said the package contained tobacco, marijuana, ecstasy, and four phones.
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Prison officials in South Carolina said a package containing steak, cannabis, crab legs and multiple cartons of cigarettes was discovered by a guard after being dropped into the yard by a drone. https://t.co/33LJ4JNLDq pic.twitter.com/5cP9dHKosF
— ABC News (@ABC) December 9, 2025
From drugs to luxury food
South Carolina corrections officials have also documented a series of unusual deliveries.
In one case at Lee Correctional Institution in Bishopville, guards intercepted a drone drop that included steak, crab legs, marijuana, cigarettes, and Old Bay seasoning.
The South Carolina Department of Corrections shared the seizure online under the hashtag #ContrabandChristmas. Spokeswoman Chrysti Shain said, āIām guessing the inmates who were expecting the package are crabby,ā while another prison official described the drone drops as ākind of like a DoorDash.ā
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Drone Drops Christmas Care Package of Weed, Cigarettes, Steak, and Crab Legs into South Carolina Prison Yard pic.twitter.com/OminqebYwt
— TaraBull (@TaraBull) December 13, 2025
States warn drones are bypassing prison security barriers
The broader concern, officials say, is that drones are allowing smugglers to bypass fences, netting, and patrols that once stopped packages thrown over prison walls.
State attorneys general from at least 21 states wrote to the US National Security Council in March, asking for help and looser restrictions so law enforcement can respond more effectively. The letter warned that drugs, weapons, and contraband phones can fuel addiction, violence, fraud, and witness intimidation inside prisons.
South Carolina logs rising cases
In South Carolina, drone activity has remained frequent. As of April 24, the stateās 21 prisons had recorded 75 drone-smuggling incidents this year, after 273 incidents in 2025.
The state says investigators are still working these cases, and in the Lee Correctional Institution matter no arrests had been made. Under South Carolina law, flying a drone near a prison is a misdemeanor, while dropping contraband can bring a felony charge carrying up to 10 years in prison.
