By FRANCIS JOSEPH
Within the past months, prison officers have been intercepting contraband stuff trying to enter the various prisons.
These attempts were made at the Port-of-Spain Prison, Golden Grove Prison at Arouca, and at the Eastern Correctional and Rehabilitation Centre at Santa Rosa.
Prison officers suspect drones have been used to drop packages in the east, while in Port-of-Spain, persons throw the contraband items over the wall. Because of the alertness of the prison officers, these suspicious packages were intercepted.
In one case two weeks ago, a suspect was seen running north along Pembroke Street after throwing a package into the Port-of-Spain Prison. Last week, a female prison officer on vacation, was arrested entering the Arouca prison with a large quantity of contraband items.
Well, the luck ran out for one man. On Thursday morning, he was arrested by prison officers on Frederick Street after attempting to throw packages over the wall of the Port-of-Spain Prison.
Around 7:30 a.m., Prisons Officers attached to the Port of Spain Prison, acting on intelligence received, detained a man who was allegedly attempting to throw packages over the prison wall.
A package was subsequently recovered and was found to contain 50 packs of cigarettes, one cellular phone, two plastic bottles with alcohol and a quantity of plant-like material resembling that of marijuana.
The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service was immediately contacted, and a team of Police Officers attached to the Central Police Station responded to the Port of Spain Prison. The individual was subsequently handed over to the Police to assist with ongoing investigations.
The Prison Officers’ Association of Trinidad and Tobago commended the vigilance and professionalism demonstrated by officers attached to Port of Spain Prison.
According to public relations officer of the association, Kris Guerero, the association “continues to commend the men and women of the Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service who remain vigilant in protecting our institutions and preventing the introduction of contraband.
“Contraband compromises security. Vigilance protects our institutions.
“We also remind the public that attempts to introduce illicit items into correctional facilities pose a serious threat to the safety and security of officers, inmates and the wider national community.”
