Drug and Phone Smuggler Caught Red-Handed at HMP Pentonville
A 25-year-old man has been slammed with a 27-month jail sentence after trying to sneak mobile phones and £23,000 worth of drugs over the fortress-like walls of HMP Pentonville.
High-Stakes Smuggling Plot Foiled
Joshua Lewis, from Hornsey, was caught after police on patrol spotted suspicious activity near the prison on the night of 13 August 2016. Officers noticed a string line dangling from inside the jail – a clear signal something dodgy was afoot.
At around 2:30am, Lewis approached the line but dashed off after a five-minute chase, dumping two bags packed with contraband.
Huge Haul of Illegal Goods Seized
- 19 mobile phones
- Over 400g of psychoactive substances
- 17 MDMA tablets
- More than 86g of cannabis
- Small amount of cocaine
His own phone was also recovered. Police later traced Lewis through DNA found on the device. He was arrested in Hackney months later and charged with multiple offences under the Prisons Act 1952.
Top Cops Praise Teamwork and Vigilance
“This individual was carrying a substantial amount of drugs and phones. Thanks to officer vigilance, this cargo never entered the prison,” said Inspector Steve Murfin of Islington’s Neighbourhoods.
“This was an excellent piece of prolonged problem solving by PC Adam Crossan.”
Prisons Minister Rory Stewart backed the crackdown, adding:
“I am determined to stop drugs smuggling into our prisons. They fuel violence, wreck education programmes, and threaten public safety. This major seizure shows we’re making headway thanks to good detective work. We owe the police a great debt of thanks and will keep hitting smugglers hard.”
Jail bosses and police vow to keep the pressure on anyone trying to sneak in banned goods by any means necessary.
