Closely related to the dead drop is throwing items into units or work areas. Most times this is done so that inmates can pick up the items immediately but not always. Examples include throwing drugs to inmates working along a road, throwing drugs over a perimeter fence, throwing drugs over a visitation fence into an inmate accessible area. Drugs are often placed inside a tennis ball or simuliar item to make them easier to throw and identify. Throws are often used from the visitation area into the yard to avoid being caught during a strip search, into other units that are within throwing distance, from work crew vans and buses into a unit, from work areas into a unit, etc.
Smuggling is a major means of introducing contraband.
Items are often transported in and on the bodies of visitors, inmates, contractors, volunteers, and unfortunately staff. The trading of glasses, watches, shoes etc. becomes a significant problem unless the visitation policies take appropriate action to prevent these occurances. Over the years I have seen inmates hide items in virtually anything that they have from organized efforts like the a major store who had an employee who hid drugs in televisions sent to prisons. Plants include such things as placing contraband in or on a contractor vehicle or equipment, state vehicle, staff vehicle, porta potty, etc that inmates will have access to once it is on the facility or unit. In it's purest sense it would also include any placement of an item for a pick up later.