Inmates at New South Wales prisons are reportedly using smuggled mobile phones to maintain a social media presence, posting content that includes images and videos of life behind bars. Despite being incarcerated, prisoners linked to Sydney-based street and prison gangs such as the Coconut Cartel, Ride or Collide, Built For The Cause, and the prison gang Outcast have been uploading material to platforms like Instagram. These posts show selfies in prison attire, footage from cells, interactions with high-profile inmates, and displays of contraband.

The social media activity has presented challenges for Corrective Services intelligence personnel, who say that phones are frequently passed among inmates, complicating efforts to identify the individuals responsible for managing these accounts. One particular account has given followers an unusual glimpse into prison life, featuring scenes such as watching a horse race with requests for betting tips, rolling cigarettes with contraband tobacco, and making meals including fried chicken prepared with improvised equipment. Some posts appear to be provocative, directed at corrections staff; one mocked officers as the "off brand raptor squad," while another showed paper being set alight inside a cell, with flames held near the cell door. A further video depicted soapy water being poured under a cell door to create a supposed "slip and slide" intended to inconvenience prison officers.

Authorities became aware of this activity following the circulation of such videos and subsequently conducted a targeted search at Silverwater’s Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre. During the operation, officers seized a mobile phone, charger, and SIM card from a 24-year-old inmate who was subsequently cautioned. NSW Police have launched an investigation, though the man has not been charged, and officials believe he may not be the individual managing the social media accounts.

A Corrective Services spokesperson noted that possession of a phone at the time of its seizure does not necessarily indicate the person is responsible for the online content, as devices are often shared among inmates. The department emphasized that multiple “robust measures” remain in place to detect and combat contraband within facilities. These include the use of drug detection dogs, intelligence-led operations, and random searches.

The ongoing issue highlights difficulties faced by prison authorities in controlling contraband technology and monitoring inmate communications, underscoring the complex challenges of maintaining security and order in correctional settings.