Now prisoners are having Ozempic and hair loss medicine smuggled into jail as gangs expand list of contraband, watchdog reveals

By DAVID BARRETT, HOME AFFAIRS EDITOR Published: 00:01, 7 July 2026 | Updated: 00:01, 7 July 2026 Fat prisoners are buying the weight-loss drug Ozempic from organised crime gangs in jail. Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, revealed offenders are able to 'pick from a menu' of illicit substances thanks to grave security flaws in the jails. Balding criminals are also able to buy hair-loss drugs, such as Minoxidil, he said. In some cases parcels of illicit drugs weighing several kilograms – about four pounds – are being smuggled into prisons, including by remote-controlled drones. Mr Taylor said: 'This just shows the scale of the problem the Prison Service is facing. 'Along with weight-loss drugs and others for hair loss, prisoners can buy anabolic steroids along with illegal drugs like cannabis and ketamine. 'Prisoners in some jails are able to pick off a menu, choosing from a range of different drugs.' In his annual report, Mr Taylor said: 'When there is little to keep prisoners occupied, they often turn to readily available drugs to pass the time. Fat prisoners are buying the weight-loss drug Ozempic from organised crime gangs in jail 'The ability of criminals to use drones to deliver contraband has transformed the drugs market within many prisons. 'The technology has become more advanced and the packages larger. 'This means as well as commonly used drugs such as spice, ketamine and cocaine, prisoners are now able to order cannabis and lifestyle drugs such as Ozempic, Minoxidil (for hair loss) and anabolic steroids as well as mobile phones, memory sticks and chargers.' He repeated his previous warning that the Prison Service has 'ceded the airspace' above jails to criminal organisations delivering contraband by drone. 'A failure across government to take this national security threat seriously means that many prisons are losing the fight against criminality,' the report said. 'Senior figures in organised crime gangs seem to operate with impunity, building up successful prison networks that make enormous amounts of money. 'They exploit the many drug-addicted, mentally ill prisoners, whose families are often having to pay off substantial debts to prevent their son or partner from being assaulted.' Mr Taylor's report said technology played 'an important role in disrupting contraband', including 'good use of body scanners, CCTV, and drone countermeasures'. But it added: 'However, progress was undermined by a lack of other physical security measures, including gate security, windows and netting.' For example, at Manchester's Strangeways prison it had 'taken far too long to get planning permission for new windows that were essential in the fight against drones'. The availability of illicit drugs 'remained the most significant threat to safety and stability' in jails for adult men, it went on. 'In our prisoner survey, 41 per cent of respondents told us it was easy to get drugs in their jail, and the figure remained stubbornly high at 57 per cent in category B training prisons,' the report said. Organised crime gangs use drones - such as this one pictured last year after a 10-month investigation by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit - to deliver drugs to prisons 'Mandatory drug testing rates indicated an enormous problem; 46 per cent of prisoners at Liverpool tested positive, among the highest of the reception prisons we inspected. 'At Swaleside [on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent] the rate was 34 per cent, but the number of prisoners who refused to be tested meant leaders estimated actual use was likely to be closer to 50 per cent.' Prisons minister Lord Timpson said: 'This report rightly highlights the serious challenges that remain in our prisons while noting encouraging signs of progress, with 76 per cent of recent inspections finding improvement, reflecting the dedication of prison staff working every day to turn lives around. 'There is much more to do, which is why we've also asked former Conservative home secretary Amber Rudd to lead an independent review that will help shape the next phase of reform – building on these green shoots to make our prisons safer and more secure, strengthen rehabilitation and better protect the public.'