Prison authorities record third yearly rise in drug seizures as Wheatfield Prison tests anti-drone technology

The number of drug seizures in prisons increased last year but the number of weapons and phones caught by authorities looked set to fall, according to new figures.

The Irish Prison Service revealed that up to December 14 last, there had been 1,224 drug seizures across the prison network in 2019 - a third consecutive annual increase and more than 200 more seizures than in 2017.

The largest number of drug seizures took place in Wheatfield Prison, with 479 - 76 more than in 2018 and more than double the 2017 figure of 183.

There were 229 seizures in Mountjoy and 183 in Cloverhill, but while the rate of drug seizures has stabilised in the last two years in Mountjoy the number of seizures in Cloverhill rose for the third successive year.

That was also the case in Cork Prison: in 2017 there were 21 drug seizures, climbing to 55 in 2018 and 61 last year, with two weeks of 2019 still to be accounted for.

As for phone seizures, the overall figure of 945 was slightly down on the annual figure for 2018. The highest number of phones seized was again in Wheatfield, where 298 devices were found.

That marked a third consecutive annual increase, whereas in Mountjoy the 228 phones detected marked a third successive fall in the number of devices found there.

As for weapons, 533 seizures were made up to December 14 last, down from 664 found in all of 2018.

Both Wheatfield and the Midlands Prisons had the highest number of seizures, with 127. Mountjoy Prison saw a huge fall in the number of weapons seized, from 172 in 2018 to 62 last year with two weeks of 2019 remaining.

According to a spokesman for the Irish Prison Service, "concerted efforts are made on a continuous basis to prevent the flow of contraband into our prisons, by, for example, the installation of nets over exercise yards, vigilant observation of prisoners by staff, enhanced CCTV monitoring, the stricter control of visits and the use of targeted and random cell searches on a daily basis.

"As well as this the introduction of passive and active drug detection dogs and the installation of airport-style security including scanners and X-ray machines has helped efforts to tackle the problem. Random searches of cells and their occupants have uncovered significant quantities of contraband in recent years."

As recently reported by the Irish Examiner, Wheatfield Prison, is currently trialling new anti-drone technology.

Wheatfield was the focus of drone-related activity last year when it emerged that there had been a number of drone seizures there.

According to the IPS spokesman: "Advances in technology, such as the use of drones, does give rise to additional challenges for the Irish Prison Service and the Service is constantly reviewing our security arrangements in this regard.

"The Irish Prison Service is currently testing an anti-drone system in one of our prisons. The operation of this pilot will be evaluated and should the test prove to be successful consideration will be given to rolling out this system to other prisons."

The spokesman also referred to the free confidential telephone line which is now operational and which allows prisoners, visitors, staff or members of the public with information on the trafficking of prohibited items into prisons to pass on that information in the strictest confidence.

The phone line operates from 8am to 8pm on 1800 855 717.