JENSEN LA VENDE
Senior Reporter
Prison officers on Saturday morning seized two cartons of cigarettes, a quantity of marijuana and a cellphone and detained two prisoners after the items were thrown over the walls of the Port of Spain Prison.
According to a media release, around 5:10 a.m. on Saturday, the Prison Operations Centre received information regarding a package that had been thrown over the perimeter wall. The officers then searched the area where the package was thrown and prisoners in the convicted airing yard.
Prison officers said the contraband was found in the possession of two inmates, who are expected to be charged with trafficking.
“The introduction of prohibited items into correctional facilities poses a serious threat to institutional safety and security. Search exercises, intelligence gathering and the alertness of officers remain critical to detecting and removing such items and preventing their circulation within the prison environment. The Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service remains resolute in its efforts to safeguard its correctional institutions and address attempts to introduce prohibited items into prison facilities,” the release stated.
This latest incident takes place days after prison officers thwarted an attempt to have prohibited items thrown into the prison.
On Wednesday, prison officers spotted a man attempting to throw contraband items into the Port of Spain Prison. Hours later, during a search, prison officers found improvised weapons in the ceiling of the Eastern Correctional Rehabilitation Centre (ECRC).
Prison officers said six improvised weapons were discovered concealed at the top of a cell during a search at the Hope Division around 10:45 am.
“Improvised weapons pose a serious threat within the correctional environment, with the potential to endanger the safety and security of both inmates and prison personnel. Their detection and removal remain critical to maintaining order, reducing the risk of violence and preserving a safe and secure environment within correctional facilities,” a release stated on Wednesday.
Hours before the discovery, prison officers at the Port of Spain prison spotted a man attempting to throw the package over the wall near the intersection of Gordon and Pembroke streets around 6.45 am.
The incident caused the POA to renew its call for a modern CCTV surveillance system at the prison. The association’s public relations officer Kris Guerero said the association had been calling for upgraded CCTV systems, particularly at Port-of-Spain Prison, for the past four years.
“CCTV cannot replace trained officers, proper staffing and intelligence-led operations, but it can significantly enhance their effectiveness,” Guerero said in a media release, adding that the incident showed the urgent need for improved surveillance.
Guerero added that a modern system would strengthen security inside and outside prison walls, help officers detect suspicious activity and attempted contraband deliveries, monitor internal movements, preserve evidence and provide intelligence for investigations.
Prison officers said then that the vigilance, thoroughness, and attention to detail of the officers on duty led to the discovery and stopping of contraband entering the prison.
