French gendarmes have dismantled a network that used drones to smuggle drugs into a prison in Villefranche-sur-Saône, east-central France, arresting five suspects and seizing a drone, 500 grams of cannabis resin, 18 batteries and €6,000 in cash, authorities said. Gendarmes arrested three individuals in the act of a drone delivery on Aug. 4, with two others detained at their homes.
Investigators estimate the network delivered roughly 30 kilograms of cannabis resin by drone to the facility, with more than 1,850 recorded deliveries in just 51 days. Among those detained is a 16-year-old minor; all five suspects will face trial in September and October.
The case underscores a growing problem for French prisons. Authorities recorded around 5,000 drone flights or attempted flights over penal facilities in 2025, up sharply from 800 in 2024.