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Unique methods used to smuggle drugs into jails

Posted by CaribShout on September 20, 2009 at 6:11pm
Marlon Vickerman and Rasbert Turner, STAR Writers A brazen woman who padded the Sunday dinner for an inmate at the Constant Spring Police Station with ganja, Rizzla (rolling paper) and a lighter ended up becoming a prisoner herself after police discovered the drug and paraphernalia and arrested her. Reports reaching THE STAR is that on Sunday, Gaynor Lawes showed up at the police station's lock-up area with a container of food she was about to deliver to an inmate during visiting hours. The police personnel at the location conducted a search of Lawes and the container at which time an additional compartment was discovered at the base of the container. That section was searched and the police said they found the drug and other items there. charged The lawmen said Lawes told them that someone else gave the container to her. They said the other person, Avalee Evans, was picked up shortly afterwards. The police charged both women with the offence. The women appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magi-strate's Court on Wednesday. Lawes who had told the cops that she was only delivering the food and knew nothing of its contents, was released and the charge of possession of ganja against her dropped. Evans, however, who was charged with conspiracy was fined $10,000 for the offence. That case is just one of several that happen at lock-ups islandwide. Last week a 54-year-old woman was arrested after it was discovered that ice, which she had taken for her son at the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre, contained a piece of cardboard with $1,500 inside. Crime chief for the St Andrew North police, Deputy Superintendent Altermoth 'Parro' Campbell, said that food and clothes are the two main ways that people try to smuggle drugs into lock-ups. innovative way "The police are well aware of these methods, and are always on the ball, so we always catch up with them," he said. The lawman noted that it was the "innovative way" in which this recent attempt was carried out that showed that the person "took great time and consideration" in putting the plan together. He said the person fitted two containers together, in a way that it appeared to be just one, cut a hole in the upper container and then packed the lower container with the drug through that hole. The food was then placed in the upper container, concealing the drug below. Deputy Superintendent of Police, Michael Phipps of the St Andrew Central division, said that while there have not been any recent smuggling attempts at that station, persons used to actually stitch the drug into the inner lining of clothing. "They would cut the waist of pants as well and put the weed or even money in there, and then stitch it back up," the officer said.

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