A man’s recent death at Brook House immigration removal centre near Gatwick Airport is believed to be tied to the drug spice, marking what is thought to be the first such case.
The 26-year-old, reportedly a French national, was found dead in his cell on 27 October, prompting an investigation by the Prisons Ombudsman and an anticipated inquest.
Diplomatic sources from France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed they are closely monitoring the situation in collaboration with British authorities. This is the first death in UK immigration detention in nearly a year and one of 22 in the past decade.
The incident follows a report issued last year that warned of the dangers of spice at Brook House, with staff expressing concerns that drug use could result in a detainee’s death.
The Home Office contractor Serco, which manages Brook House, has taken the unusual step of circulating two internal memos to detainees following the incident.
The first memo, released the day of the death, urged detainees to avoid “uncontrolled substances,” while a second letter two days later raised concerns over potentially harmful substances in the centre, specifically mentioning spice.
Two detainees, speaking anonymously, reported that the deceased had struggled with his mental health and had even requested voluntary repatriation to France.
One detainee suggested that the man may have been using spice via vapes, asking others to help him acquire them. The other detainee voiced growing worries over an influx of contraband at the centre, mentioning recent incidents of intoxicated detainees requiring emergency treatment.
“The lack of support here means detainees are left to their own devices,” he said, adding that mental health struggles have led many to turn to drugs as a coping mechanism.
Brook House has previously drawn scrutiny following a 2017 BBC Panorama investigation exposing abuses at the centre.
The inquiry’s report, published in September 2023, highlighted serious issues with drug use, including frequent incidents of detainees collapsing or showing severe symptoms linked to spice. The report forewarned that a detainee death was inevitable if spice continued to be used within the facility.
Emma Ginn, Director of the charity Medical Justice, expressed concern about the centre’s conditions.
“Immigration detention is particularly harmful for vulnerable people locked up indefinitely, and we call for its use to be ended,” Ginn said, adding that references to drug use in relation to the death are especially troubling.
Serco has reiterated its commitment to resident safety, using a mix of technology, specialist dogs, and intelligence-led strategies to curb drug entry into Brook House.
Meanwhile, a Home Office spokesperson affirmed a “zero-tolerance approach to drug use” in immigration centres, stating that procedures are regularly strengthened to prevent illicit substances from entering these facilities.
