2 November
A visitor at Tongariro/Rangipo Prison could find herself facing a prison sentence after being found with a significant amount of drugs.
Tongariro Corrections staff made the find when conducting a prison checkpoint in co-operation with Police on the weekend.
“During a routine search of vehicles entering the prison grounds the prison drug dog indicated that there was something suspicious in the vehicle of a visitor intending to see a family member,” says Tongariro/Rangipo Prison Manager Denis Goodin.
“Staff questioned the visitor about drugs and subsequently found cannabis leaf and oil on her person. The Police responded very quickly and the visitor was arrested and could potentially face very serious charges for the drugs that she was carrying.
“In addition, a pair of visitors were found with a small amount of cannabis and drugs utensils in their car as they entered prison grounds. They were arrested by Police and given exclusion notices.
“Police also issued a number of fines and warnings to visitors for vehicle safety infringements during the check point.
“The Prison is very rigorous with its security and we have a zero tolerance policy for drugs on prison grounds, which we work in partnership with Police to enforce. Police were very quick to react to the drug finds and visitors should know that both Corrections and Police take drug finds on Prison grounds very seriously.
“Prisoners often put pressure on friends and family members to supply them with drugs in prison and even the family of offenders, who are well aware that we conduct regular checks on prison visitors and their vehicles, will still try and bring drugs onto the premises.
“Prison checkpoints are set up on the road leading into the facility, and are conducted regularly by every prison around the country but it is still surprising that even those who know that there is zero tolerance for drugs on prison grounds will still try bringing them into prisons.
“There are a number of measures in place to stop drugs and other contraband entering prisons. This includes visitor searches, vehicle checkpoints, the use of drug detector dogs and monitoring during visits by staff and cameras.”
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