A man from Rotherham man has been jailed after travelling across the country to collect a drone intended to smuggle drugs and mobile phones into a Suffolk prison
A man who travelled from Rotherham to Suffolk to collect a drone later abandoned it in a hedge along with a bag containing drugs while attempting to escape police by crossing a river.
Dimitri Dragovic was described by Recorder Nicola Fitches as playing a โcentralโ role in a conspiracy to smuggle prohibited items into HMP Highpoint in Stradishall.
On November 14 last year, the 32-year-old left his home on Briton Street, Thurnscoe and travelled to a Travelodge in London, where it is alleged he collected the drone.
Dragovic returned briefly to Rotherham before arriving in Haverhill the following day. He checked into a hotel using a false name.
In the early hours of November 16, surveillance officers observed him getting into a taxi while carrying a black bag. At approximately 2.15am, he was dropped off on the A143 and was seen walking along the road before entering a nearby field.
Realising he was under police surveillance, Dragovic discarded the bag in a hedge and fled back towards Haverhill. He was later located by police dogs at a nearby industrial estate at around 3.15am. Officers found him soaking wet after he had crossed a river in an attempt to evade capture.
Inside the abandoned bag, police discovered the drone along with multiple pouches and wraps of cannabis and herbal cannabis. Officers also recovered three mobile phones, seven SIM cards, nine dongles and charging cables.
The court heard the drone had a flight range of approximately three miles, and that the taxi had dropped Dragovic within sufficient distance of HMP Highpoint to carry out the planned delivery.
Dragovic admitted two counts of conspiracy to convey prohibited items into a prison, as well as breaching a suspended sentence for an unrelated offence.
Dragovic was sentenced to 26 monthsโ imprisonment
