SYDNEY, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Prisoners in Australia's Capricornia Correctional Centre received a strange visitor on Christmas Day, but it wasn't Santa Claus. It was two aerial drones believed to be smuggling illegal drugs into the facility.
Releasing details of the strange incident on Friday, Queensland State Corrective Services (QCS) revealed a drone was spotted hovering around the exercise yard around 1:45 pm local time, before it delivered a package to a prisoner.
After corrections officers responded by putting the jail in lock down and confiscated the item from the prisoner, some time later a second drone was also flown into the yard.
Although the contents of the package have not been made public, News Corp reported that on Boxing Day the prisoner who received the first package was rushed to hospital in a suspected methamphetamine overdose.
He has since recovered and been returned to the facility.
With the matter now being investigated by police and corrections authorities, QCS Deputy Commissioner Andy Beck said the incident was deeply disappointing and concerning.
"Prisons are highly controlled environments for a reason, and the introduction of drugs and contraband puts the safety of our officers, prisoners and visitors at risk."
"We have a zero-tolerance approach to people introducing contraband into the centre, so it is not worth the risk for either party."
Beck said anyone found guilty of introducing contraband may be subject to prison sentences of up to two years imprisonment and significant fines.
"When prisoners are identified as being involved in this type of activity, it may lead to them losing access to contact visits and other privileges," he added.
Flying a drone over a Queensland prison can also result in a jail sentence of two years.
