Nine cell phones and a drug scale seized in Poggioreale prison.

A new seizure has been made at the Poggioreale prison in Naples. Penitentiary Police officers found and seized nine cell phones from inmates—eight latest-generation smartphones and a microcell phone—along with a precision scale presumably used to package doses of narcotics. The USPP (Prison Service for the Prevention of Illegal Drugs) announced the seizure, describing it as an operation that demonstrates the daily commitment of the prison's staff.

The checks resulted in the recovery of nine devices, a significant number considering the risk they pose to internal security and illicit connections with the outside world. Along with the cell phones, officers also seized a precision scale, a common tool used in drug dosing and packaging within prisons.

According to USPP union representatives Giuseppe Moretti and Ciro Auricchio, each seized phone represents an illicit communication channel taken away from organized crime. Their statements also underscore the operational pressure on officers, who are required to ensure order and security in a prison with an estimated inmate population of approximately 2.300.

The union's request

The USPP welcomes the operation's results but insists on the need for investment and advanced technological tools to combat the introduction of telephones in prisons. "Self-denial alone is not enough," Moretti and Auricchio affirm, citing the staffing shortage and the need for structural measures in addition to manual checks.

The union also applauds the Poggioreale officers, who are described as committed "out of the spotlight" in maintaining order and security within the facility on a daily basis.

A series of kidnappings

The discovery is part of a series of operations in recent months. In September, the Penitentiary Police seized six smartphones in the "Avellino" high-security unit. In July, eleven cell phones were found—eight smartphones and three handsets—along with 200 grams of hashish.

The June toll was even more significant: 76 phones, including handsets and smartphones, six drones seized, and approximately 2,5 kilos of hashish seized. At the beginning of August, twenty latest-generation cell phones had been recovered in three different buildings of the institute.

Drones and illicit trafficking

The phenomenon isn't limited to cell searches. On October 10, a drone headed toward Poggioreale was intercepted while carrying approximately 300 grams of hashish and a smartphone; after recovering its cargo, the aircraft reactivated and fled. During the same search of the "Avellino" high-security unit, four additional smartphones were found.

A few days earlier, defense systems had neutralized a large drone, estimated to be worth around €10, carrying a kilogram of drugs, 15 smartphones, cables, power supplies, and a precision scale. This confirms how cell phones, narcotics, and drones have become a key aspect of the security of the Naples prison.