A visitors’ car park search at Hakea Prison and the adjacent Melaleuca Remand and Reintegration Facility yesterday netted contraband including cannabis and syringes.
The search was conducted to highlight the work of Corrective Services staff, ahead of tomorrow’s National Corrections Day, (Friday January 17) when staff around the country are recognised for the work they do with prisoners and with offenders managed in the community.
Initiated and run by Hakea security staff, the search included the Drug Detection Unit, Special Operations Group and Melaleuca staff.
During the one and a half hour operation, 84 visitors to the facilities and 52 vehicles were searched.
Staff found a small quantity of methamphetamine, a small quantity of cannabis, 10 syringes and identification cards and credit cards, suspected to have been stolen.
Corrective Services Commissioner Tony Hassall said that any contraband entering a prison compromised the safety of staff and prisoners.
It also threatened the security of prisons themselves.
“Sometimes there may be no clear intent to traffic the material into the prison but this is also about keeping drugs, and other contraband, away from prison land completely, to protect the security of our prisons," Mr Hassall said.
“I said last month, when Corrective Services staff launched a state-wide blitz of visitors’ car parks that we would continue in our efforts to stop contraband from entering our facilities.
“These random searches tell me that some visitors still aren’t getting the message. Their attempts to thwart the rehabilitative work of our staff is startling, but we will continue to use all resources available to us to target these people and stop drugs from entering prison facilities."
Those caught trying to smuggle contraband into prisons face visit bans of between 3 months and a year and the bans can be state-wide.
