Sniffer dog Dillon joins anti-drugs drive in prison

A new method of cracking down on drugs is proving successful at the Midlands Prison in Co Laois.

A drugs dog known as Dillon has sniffed out 20 visitors who were in contact with drugs or were trying to bring drugs into the prison.

If a person is suspected of carrying drugs, he or she is not allowed to have an open visit but is offered a screened visit, where they are not allowed any physical contact with the prisoner.

The Collie-Springer Spaniel was brought into the prison at the end of May.

The prison service said there had been a 15% drop in the number of visitors since his arrival.