23 December, 2002
Four arrests were made following vehicle checkpoints at Christchurch Men's Prison on Sunday, says the Department of Corrections.
A team of 10 staff, including drug dog handlers, searched 355 visitors' vehicles. Items seized included cannabis leaf and oil, amphetamine, drug utensils, ammunition and knifes.
"This is one of Corrections' most successful visitor checkpoints of the year," said Tony Coyle, National Crime Prevention Coordinator.
"As well as the arrests, the checkpoint resulted in 19 people being prohibited from visiting inmates at the prison for periods of up to 12 months, and a further eight have received warnings.
"Measures such as this help to reduce the flow of drugs and contraband into prisons, and reinforce the importance of such checkpoints."
Vehicle checkpoints are an important part of the Department's national drug reduction strategy. During the past year, some 5,000 vehicles were searched at New Zealand prisons, resulting in 80 arrests and numerous seizures of drugs, drug paraphernalia and weapons. The checkpoints occur in cooperation with local Police.
"While there may, in some cases, be no intention to bring the contraband into the prison, visitors need to understand that bringing such items onto prison property is in breach of the law," says Mr Coyle.