New Jersey military base reports several instances of illegal drone smuggling this year.

A New Jersey military base has reported several drone trespassing incidents this year involving smugglers trying to bring illegal items into a federal prison located on the base.

According to a spokesperson from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, home to FCI Fort Dix prison, security measures are in place to identify, react to, and prevent unauthorized drone activity over their premises, which are subject to flight restrictions prohibiting unauthorized drone operations.

The Wrightstown Gate at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey. The base has experienced multiple drone incursions related to the smuggling of contraband at a federal prison on the installation.  (Department of Veterans Affairs)

“This year, there have been multiple drone detections, all involving attempts to smuggle contraband into the federal correctional institution hosted on our base, with the most recent interception occurring on September 15, 2024,” the spokesperson added. “We take each case seriously and aggressively coordinate with local law enforcement to ensure the safety and security of our installation.”

On Tuesday, the Pentagon said the drones are likely unmanned aircraft being used by hobbyists for recreational purposes.

“Is it possible that some of those drones could be up to malign activity? It’s entirely possible,” said Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder. “In the case of drones flying near or over U.S. military installations, that in and of itself, just given the volume of drone flights we see on a given day, is not something that’s new. We take all of those seriously.”