7 October
Tongariro/Rangipo Prison and Police last week joined forces in a routine search of all prison visitors and their vehicles.
“The joint operation between Corrections and Police produced a number of positive results,” says Prison Manager Dennis Goodin.
“Forty-seven vehicle searches were conducted as well as numerous individual searches, and not one visitor was found with drugs on their person.”
“This is a great result, it means the message that we will not tolerate attempts to introduce contrabnd into our prisons is getting across.
“Despite finding no drugs, Police did issue $3555 of infringement notices, mainly in relation to vehicle offences.
“In addition three visitors were issued with exclusion notices, one for having a cannabis smoking device and one for admoting swollowing cannabis to conceal it. In addition one visitor failed a breath test administered by the Police and was taken to Tuarangi Police station and may face charges.
“In order to keep our communities safe we need to work together, and this is yet another example of the Police and the Prison working together to ensure contrabnd isn't introduced.
“Corrections has a number of initiatives in place to prevent drugs and other contraband entering prison. These include vehicle checkpoints, visitor searches and the use of drug-detector dogs which means the chance we will find it just isn’t worth the risk.”
Prison checkpoints are set up in carparks and on roads leading into prisons, and are conducted regularly by every prison around the country to search anyone visiting the site and their vehicle. On occasion Police attend these operations and carry out checks on vehicles and issue infringement notices to non-compliant vehicles and drivers.
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