A number of contraband items were seized at the Maximum Security Prison, Arouca, on Sunday. During the exercise, officers discovered and confiscated the following items, six cellular phones, four charging devices, three USB cables; seven improvised weapons, four packs of cigarettes, three packs of wrapping paper, $101 in cash, one switchblade, one pocket scale, one cigarette lighter and 86.1 grams of plant-like material resembling marijuana.
Investigations into the discovery are ongoing, and charges are expected to be laid.
Acting Commissioner of Prisons Elvin Scanterbury commended all officers involved in the successful execution of the exercise. He emphasized that the discovery of improvised weapons and other prohibited items highlights the significant security risks within the nation’s correctional facilities and the dangers Prisons Officers face in the execution of their duties on a daily basis.
The Commissioner further expressed serious concern about the presence of knives, switchblades and other improvised weapons within correctional facilities, noting that these items pose a direct and potentially life-threatening threat to both Prisons Officers and inmates.
Such weapons can be used to inflict serious bodily injuries, facilitate assaults, intimidate individuals, and escalate disputes into violent confrontations. Prisons Officers are particularly exposed to these dangers while conducting searches, supervising inmates, responding to incidents and maintaining order within the prisons. Equally, inmates are placed at risk of serious injury or loss of life when prohibited weapons circulate within the prison environment.
He further highlighted that the use of technology to introduce prohibited articles into correctional facilities presents an increasingly complex challenge for the Prison Service. Despite these challenges, the Service remains committed to combating contraband trafficking with the assistance of external law enforcement agencies to safeguard Prisons Officers, inmates and the wider public.
