The government has been alarmed by the use of drones to breach prison security and has decided to install a special anti-drone system in all penal institutions in the country. The National Information Society Agency has opened a tender worth 207.6 million lek or 2.1 million euros for contracting the private company that will build the anti-drone system.
"In recent years, technological development has led to the widespread use of drones. Unfortunately, some individuals or even criminal groups have exploited the potential of drones for illegal purposes, including smuggling into prisons and the risk of transporting explosives, espionage and breach of privacy," the AKSHI documents justifying the tender state.
Albania has 21 Penitentiary Institutions, 6 of which are high-security. According to the government, the use of drones has brought several negative effects to prisons, including the passage of prohibited materials, compromising security, including prisoner escapes, and operational interference in prison activities.
Cameras are not enough
The government says that the Institutions for the Execution of Criminal Decisions (IEVP) in Albania suffer from a lack of specialized infrastructure and modern equipment for the prevention and neutralization of drones. This lack leaves these institutions vulnerable to the risks posed by unauthorized drones.
The current security system relies mainly on two elements: physical surveillance by guards and a closed circuit television (CCTV) system, which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
"However, these traditional methods have obvious limitations. The human factor in surveillance is prone to errors, fatigue and perception limitations, especially during night shifts or in poor visibility conditions. On the other hand, CCTV systems, although they offer continuous coverage, are often not sufficient to detect and identify small and fast drones, especially at large distances or in adverse weather conditions," the tender documents state.
Also, the CCTV system is configured at a certain optical angle that does not allow observation of flying drones but is directed at other points of interest.
"The lack of specific anti-drone technologies, such as detection and jamming systems for drones, makes it practically impossible to effectively prevent drone incidents. This situation creates a significant security gap, potentially allowing the introduction of prohibited items, unauthorized surveillance, or even escape attempts," the government assesses. Therefore, according to it, the modernization of security systems in Albanian prisons, with a special focus on anti-drone technologies, has become an urgent need to face this growing security challenge.
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