Four people are on trial after a police probe into large numbers of mobile phones and drugs thrown over the perimeter walls of a prison.
In 2023, a large number of parcels containing illegal items were thrown over the perimeter walls at HMP Lewes, including one large package comprising 19 mobile phones, 32 USB leads and five earphones.
In response, Sussex Police launched Operation Culprit, led by the force’s Tactical Enforcement Unit (TEU) in partnership with HM Prison Service. Tactics included plain clothes and uniformed patrols, joint operations with prison security staff and detection dogs, and forensic analysis of recovered parcels.
On March 23 2023, officers located a white Audi reportedly linked to packages thrown into HMP Lewes.
Officers stopped the car nearby and searched it. In the back, they found white carrier bags containing cannabis and mobile phones. These were suspected to be packaged for throwing into the prison.
Jay Lindo, 31, from Parkwells Road, London, and Chukwuemeka Anumnne, 30, from Dundas Road, London, were arrested for possession with intent to supply and for conspiring to bring or throw a List A and B prohibited article into a prison. Anumnne was also charged with possession of a bladed article.
They were released on police bail while enquiries continued and charged on November 25, 2024. At Lewes Crown Court on February 2, 2025, they pleaded not guilty.
After a four-week trial at Hove Crown Court, Lindo was found guilty on all counts on April 16. Anumnne was found not guilty of possession of a bladed article, but no verdict was reached on the charge of conspiring to bring or throw List A and B prohibited articles into a prison. A decision on a retrial will be made by the Crown Prosecution Service on April 30.
On April 6, 2023, TEU officers responded to a report of a man acting suspiciously near HMP Lewes. They searched the surrounding areas to investigate.
Prison officers intercepted the parcels, which contained wrapped drugs.
Minutes later, TEU officers found Jahmal Swaby, 27, of Conduit Way, London, at Lewes Train Station. When challenged, he admitted throwing items over the prison wall, saying, “I’m not gonna lie to you, it was me”, and was arrested.
Swaby later pleaded guilty at Lewes Crown Court to throwing List A and B prohibited articles into a prison.
Following his conviction, Swaby is scheduled to appear in court for sentencing.
Digital forensics uncovered text messages on Swaby’s phone exchanged with a contact saved as “Zara”, discussing plans to throw items into the prison. The messages also contained bank details, which led investigators to identify “Zara” as Fatimaalzhra Yousif, 23, of Kilburn Gate, London. At the time, Yousif was in a relationship with Yaanan Reid, an inmate at HMP Lewes serving a 41-month sentence for being concerned in the supply of Class A drug Cocaine and Heroin.
Further enquiries were conducted, during which Yousif’s DNA was identified on several additional packages thrown into the prison, including those recovered from incidents involving Lindo on March 23. Investigators also uncovered evidence of ongoing communication between Yousif, Reid and Swaby. alongside financial transactions from Yousif to Reid’s prison account.
On September 17, 2023, officers from the TEU arrested Yousif while she was visiting Reid at the prison. She was detained on suspicion of conspiring to convey List A and B prohibited articles into or out of a prison, as well as conspiring to acquire, use, or possess criminal property. She was subsequently charged on November 22, 2024.
Yaanan Reid, 27, now an inmate at another prison, was also arrested and charged with the same conspiracy offences, in addition to possessing an unauthorised item in prison. He denied the allegations and entered a not guilty plea at Crawley Court on December 30, 2024.
The trial at Hove Crown Court for Yaanan Reid, Fatimaalzhra Yousif, Jay Lindo, and Chukwuemeka Anumnne started on March 23, 2026.
On March 31, 2026, Yaanan Reid pleaded guilty to all offences.
Reid, Yousif and Lindo were found guilty on all counts. Following their convictions, all will be scheduled to appear in court for sentencing, on 20 August 2026 at 10am, the location will be confirmed.
Thanks to the proactive work of TEU, throwover incidents at HMP Lewes significantly reduced. During Operation Culprit, 15 people were arrested on suspicion of being involved in this illegal activity.
Sergeant Dan Thomson, Tactical Enforcement Unit said: “Some people may think throwing drugs and other banned items over prison walls is a victimless crime, it isn’t.
“The harm caused by drugs is well known, and mobile phones inside prisons are used to organise further criminal activity, intimidate witnesses and victims, and continue offending from behind bars. These items also put prison officers’ safety at risk, fuel violence inside our prisons, and undermine efforts to rehabilitate offenders.
“That is exactly why we launched Operation Culprit, to target those responsible and stop this dangerous activity.
“Let this be a clear warning: if you are involved in throwing parcels into prison, you will be identified, you will be arrested, and you will face a prison sentence.”
Karen Leak, Head of Security at HMP Lewes, said: “Through our close work with the police we are closing in on the criminals attempting to smuggle drugs and other contraband that wreak havoc behind bars.
“As this case shows, our hardworking staff are using every tool at their disposal to detect, disrupt and stop this behaviour, and bring offenders to justice.”