A prison officer with just over two years’ service was arrested Sunday after he was caught attempting to smuggle marijuana into the Maximum Security Prison (MSP), Arouca, in his crotch.
According to a report, at about 5.54 am during anti-trafficking exercise officers discovered several packets of marijuana in the officer’s possession.
The officer was subsequently arrested and handed over to the officers at the Arouca Police Station where he was expected to be charged for the offence.
Commissioner of Prisons Gerard Wilson immediately commended the officers who are assigned to the Operations and Security Department and the executive for their “tireless dedication and vigilance” during this latest seizure of contraband items. He again condemned the actions of rogue officers within the service.
“The counter-trafficking measures that have been implemented and enhanced at the nation's prisons are for the benefit and protection of all citizens,” Wilson said.
“I would like to assure that the prison service will continue to exercise all viable options to ensure that these unscrupulous officers who have no regard for their colleagues, face the full brunt of the law.”
He added, “The Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service assures members of the public that it will continue to operate with due diligence and without fear or favour and hold its mandate of the protection of society as priority.”
This was the third incident in which an individual attempted to smuggle marijuana into the facility. Last week a Central man was held trying to smuggle ganja into the jail in four apples and the week before that another man was nabbed after he tried to pass grapefruit stuffed with the drub pass security.
Wilson has since announced that from December 1, visitors will no longer be allowed to take fruits from outside into the prison and will have to purchase them from the canteen
Investigations into the latest incident are continuing.
