In just four months, $700,000 worth of illegal items and contraband were seized at the medium security prison in Cowansville, Estrie.
At least that’s what the Federal Correctional Officers’ Union says, fearing for the safety of inmates and staff.
The union attributes the rapid increase in seizures in particular to the increasing use of drones. More and more drugs, tobacco, cell phones and even ceramic blades that are used to make homemade weapons are being shipped there.
The packages are placed in the prison’s outdoor courtyard, often directly at the cell window of the inmate who wants to smuggle them.
The packages are either picked up by the inmates during outings or left near their cell window. In the latter case, they managed to pull him back in using a rope with hooks and reinstall the window as if nothing had happened.
According to the union, from May to September, 49 cell phones, more than 315 grams of hashish, 413 grams of marijuana, 46 grams of cocaine and more than 5,250 methamphetamine tablets were confiscated in this prison.
However, drone detectors are outdated and can only intercept about one in 20 drones, the union complained.
This traffic within the walls is also often a source of conflict and attacks.
The same observation applies to the area’s other medium security correctional facility in Drummondville. In two separate seizures in recent months, the value of narcotics and tobacco products seized was $306,000. In September even saw blades were confiscated.
To end this scourge, the union is calling for better detection equipment to combat contraband and an increase in staff to ensure stronger surveillance.