Two men arrested after drone attempted to smuggle contraband into Midlands Prison

Two men were arrested by gardaí after a drone attempting to smuggle contraband into Midlands Prison in Portlaoise crashed into the nearby Prison Officers Training College on Tuesday afternoon.The drone crashed into the roof of the training college before being recovered by the Laois Fire and Rescue Service.The contraband will be forensically examined to determine the contents.Gardaí commenced a search of the area after officers at Midlands Prison were notified of drone activity. It is understood the two suspects, who are in their 30s and 40s, were found in the grounds of the nearby Midland Regional Hospital.READ MORE“Gardaí responded to a report of drone activity in the vicinity of the Portlaoise Prison Campus, Co Laois, this afternoon,” a statement said.“Gardaí attended the scene and arrested two males who are currently detained at a Garda station in the Eastern Region. Investigations are ongoing.”A drone and a package containing suspected cannabis and tablets, as well as mobile phones, were seized. The suspected drugs will be forwarded to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis.A spokesman confirmed the Irish Prison Service (IPS) is working with An Garda Síochána in relation to the incident. “As the matter is subject to Garda investigation, it would not be appropriate to comment further,” a statement said.Separately, nine inmates overdosed and three required hospital treatment following an incident at Midlands Prison last month. At the time, a representative for the IPS said the suggestion that the drugs involved arrived in the prison via drone was a “good assumption”.