…another attempt thwarted at Lusignan Prison
Ranks of the Joint Services stationed at the Lusignan Prison have once again foiled another attempt to throw illicit items over the penitentiary’s fence. This most recent incident occurred sometime around 02:15h on Tuesday.
According to Director of Prisons (ag), Gladwin Samuels, an unknown individual was seen by Police and prison ranks on duty at the North-eastern section of the holding area at the East Coast Demerara penitentiary. At the time, the suspect was attempting to throw a black plastic wrapped parcel over the fence.
Samuels further reported that the ranks opened fire at the individual, who made good his escape. However, in the process, he dropped the parcel.
“Checks were conducted by both Police and prison ranks of the adjoining village and access roads. Unfortunately, the individual escaped,” the Prison Director noted.
Nevertheless, he noted that upon examination of the area, 10 taped parcels were discovered along with a camouflage hat and short camouflage pants.
Samuels said the parcels, when opened, contained a total of 1002 grams of narcotics, a large quantity of tobacco leaves, four cellphones without SIM cards, one charger, one earpiece and 33 packets of Bristol cigarettes.
This incident comes less than a week after Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan expressed his disgust at the recent series of attempts to smuggle contraband and the discoveries of various illicit items at several prison facilities across the country, saying that steps are being taken to curb this practice.
“It’s like the abnormal seems to be the rule there, you know and we are trying as much [as we can]. I now have to get technological about it. You’d have to get scanners at the door that can pick up these things because I don’t think you can collude with scanners but… these scanners are very expensive and I hope people are not going to bypass the scanners too, that’s another problem but we’re gonna have cameras to ensure that the people will be seen who try to bypass,” the Minister told reporters last week. Furthermore, he went on to recognise that the lack of proper management at these facilities is probably contributing to the increasing instances of smuggling attempts and the discoveries of dozens of contraband within the system.
Two Saturdays ago, an inmate at the Lusignan Prison was caught with a cutlass and a knife. This was followed by an attempt to throw several parcels of marijuana over the fence at the New Amsterdam Prison the same day.
These incidents come on the heels of ranks of the Joint Services unearthing over 60 illicit items during a three-hour routine search at the East Coast Demerara penitentiary days before.
Following these incidents, the Prisons Director had reiterated pleas to the public to cease such acts.
“I wish to encourage members of the public to desist from introducing contraband into the prison as it is a criminal offence that can lead to imprisonment and it also affects the security of the prison,” he appealed.
The smuggling of contraband items remains a perennial problem within the prisons system and while authorities have been working to curb the practice, several prison officers have been caught facilitating the illegal trade, which is said to be a “big business”.
