23 March
The message is clear for visitors to the Otago Corrections Facility (OCF) – do not even think about bringing contraband with you.
Prison Manger Jack Harrison says staff found several prohibited items during a vehicle checkpoint carried out late last week.
“Seven cars and all the occupants who came to the prison for visits on Thursday afternoon were routinely searched by staff.
“We are constantly on the look-out for banned items and this time we caught a woman who had several unauthorised prescription pills in her possession as well a pipe commonly used for smoking cannabis and a small snap-lock bag that had white powder residue in it.
“The evidence was confiscated, bagged up and the Police notified. The woman was also issued with an exclusion notice and asked to leave prison property. Hopefully she now understands that bringing this sort of stuff to a prison just isn’t acceptable.”
During the checkpoint several other visitors received warnings for having such things as alcohol, knives and cameras with them.
“Some visitors say they don’t know what happens, what they can and can’t bring in but ignorance is not an excuse. There are signs at the Prison gates clearly spelling out what is banned so the message is clear – if you want to visit the prison make sure you don’t have anything dodgy in your car or on your person.
“We’ve recently set up a dedicated team here at OCF that will be able to more routinely conduct checkpoints than what we’ve been able to do in the past. If visitors try to sneak contraband in, it is highly likely they will be caught.”
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