Hundreds of mobile phones crushed after being seized from prisoners at HMP Manchester

Police alongside His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) have seized and destroyed more than 500 mobile phones, electronic devices, and SIM cards after they were seized from inmates at HMP Manchester.

Removing these phones from individuals behind the prison walls comes as part of GMP’s ongoing work in removing contraband that enables criminal networks to continue operating from the inside. 

Mobile phones and SIM cards are often used by prisoners to coordinate serious organised crime across Greater Manchester, involving drug and weapon supply, and serious violence. 

Having an electronic device in prison is an offence under the Prison Act 1952 and the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, and any prisoner found guilty of possessing a device could face additional jail time. 

These seizures come as part of Operation Sheriff, which is a multi-agency initiative targeting the movement of drugs, weapons and illicit contraband into prison facilities. 

Detective Sergeant Carla Dalton from the City of Manchester Prison Team said: “Every single phone we remove from a prison cell is a blow to organised crime.  

“These devices are not harmless – they are used to arrange drug deals, weapon drops and even plan violent attacks. 

“By seizing and destroying these electronic devices, we are cutting off the line that offenders rely on to continue their criminality from behind bars. This work is about protecting the public and ensuring that those serving sentences cannot exploit technology to harm our communities any further.”