Man charged after drone contraband interception near Portlaoise Prison

A man in his 30s is due to appear in court following the interception of a drone near Portlaoise Prison, independent.ie, thejournal.ie, and the Irish Independent reported. Gardaí intercepted the drone on Tuesday at around 3pm after responding to reports of an attempted smuggling operation into the prison campus. [1][2][4]

According to thejournal.ie, gardaí initially arrested two men, one in his 30s and a second man in his 40s. The man in his 30s was subsequently charged, while the man in his 40s was released without charge. The Belfast Telegraph, KCLR 96FM, and the Longford Leader also confirmed that two men were arrested in connection with the incident. [2][3][5][6]

Gardaí seized the drone alongside a package containing suspected cannabis, tablets, and mobile phones, according to independent.ie and thejournal.ie. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Laois Fire and Rescue Service recovered the drone after it crashed onto the roof of the Prison Officers Training College. [1][2][9]

Portlaoise Prison is a maximum security prison located in Portlaoise, County Laois, Ireland. It sits directly beside the newer, medium security Midlands Prison. The seized suspected drugs will be forwarded to Forensic Science Ireland for formal analysis, while garda investigations into the incident remain ongoing, thejournal.ie reported. [2][7]