16 September
An Invercargill prisoner has had his release date revoked after he was busted trying to smuggle cannabis inside the Prison.
Operational Intelligence and Prison staff worked together on the bust, following information they received about the possibility of a kitchen worker attempting to supply drugs through the Prison.
“The prisoner who was caught with the cannabis was a kitchen worker, and it’s likely he intended to pass the drugs onto an orderly to distribute to another unit. Orderlies are the only prisoners who are able to move from unit to unit, so scheming prisoners can view them as vehicles for passing contraband throughout the Prison,” says Invercargill Prison Manager Stuart Davie.
“As a result of information received, Prison staff were even more meticulous about the searches conducted on kitchen workers and orderlies.
“While staff were conducting a rub down search on the prisoner concerned, they discovered a toilet roll that was modified into a smoking device. Upon further observation, they found a glad wrapped package of cannabis and five rolled cannabis cigarettes, which he had concealed in the waistband of his trousers,” Davie says.
The prisoner was due for release last week, but his release date has now been revoked by the New Zealand Parole Board in light of the bust.
“Prisoners are always trying to find new ways to undermine the Prison system, and we will continue to crack down on these attempts and hold prisoners to account for their actions.
“Operational Intelligence and Prison staff are constantly monitoring the activities of our prisoners to prevent contraband from being moved throughout the Prison. Foiled attempts like this act as a strong warning to other prisoners who think they’ll get away with smuggling drugs into and throughout the Prison,” says Davie.
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