Spence warns women: ‘Don’t try to smuggle drugs into prison’
Published Sunday, 30 March, 2008 at 08:00 AM
Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Sport
The Honourable Judy Spence
Corrective Services Minister Judy Spence has warned prison visitors, particularly women, against trying to smuggle contraband into Queensland prisons following a spate of incidents in March.
Ms Spence said: “Four women have been caught this month in alleged drug incidents at our prisons.
“We know from experience it is usually always women who attempt to bring in drugs.
“They face enormous pressure from imprisoned husbands, defactos, boyfriends, sons or other relatives to supply drugs.
“On top of that pressure, there is still a false perception that female visitors are not subject to the same rigorous checking as male visitors.
“This is simply not true. Highly sensitive electronic testing and drug dogs, combined with intelligence operations, mean there is a high chance of being discovered.
“Women with no criminal convictions of their own can soon find themselves facing charges and the possibility of jail.
“The main method of attempting to smuggle drugs into prison last year was by female visitors aged between 21-26 or 31-35. Most did not have previous criminal convictions. The primary method used was packaging tablets (mainly buprenorphine) in balloons which were then secreted in the visitors bra. This package would then be passed to the prisoner once in the visits yard.
“It’s just not worth attempting to smuggle drugs into prison at visits. Chances are you will be prosecuted,” Ms Spence said.
March 2008 incidents
March 22
Detectives from the Corrective Services Intelligence and Investigations Unit intercepted a 58 year old mother on her way to visit her son in Woodford Correctional Centre.
She was allegedly caught carrying rubber balloons containing buprenorphine in her bra and purse.
A search of the woman’s Toowoomba residence also located a Mossberg 12 gauge shotgun, ammunition, mace, 100 grams cannabis leaf, and a collection of testosterone and Oxychodone medications.
The woman has been charged with one count of supplying a dangerous drug to a correctional centre, two counts of possessing a dangerous drug and two weapons charges. She is due to appear in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on April 28.
The woman’s 28 year old son has also been issued with a notice to appear for supplying a dangerous drug to a correctional centre and is due to appear in Caboolture Magistrates Court on April 24.
March 17
A 25 year old female visitor to the Maryborough Correctional Centre was charged after three syringes and a small plastic bag containing white powder were allegedly found during a search of her car. One syringe was empty and the other two contained a clear liquid substance. The items were tested using the centre’s itemiser. The empty syringe returned a positive reading to cocaine, the other syringes returned a positive reading to morphine, and the powder returned a positive reading to methamphetamine. The woman is due to appear in the Maryborough Magistrates Court on April 8. She has been banned from visiting the centre until the finalisation of the court hearing.
March 17
Queensland Police conducted a Roadside Drug Testing operation at the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre. The operation involved intercepting visitors before they entered the Correctional Centre. Passive alert drug detection dogs (PADD) and Active Dogs were also used to screen all visitors and their vehicles in the car park. 29 random breath tests and 29 random drug tests were conducted. There were two positive indications to drugs resulting from the drug detection dogs. An 18 year old Acacia Ridge woman was charged with possessing a dangerous drug and has accepted drug diversion. A 19 year old Seven Hills woman was charged with unlicensed driving.
March 13
A 21 year old female visitor is facing charges after she was caught allegedly attempting to smuggle drugs into Woodford Correctional Centre. A straw containing white powder tightly wound with Sellotape was allegedly found in the waist band of the Coorparoo woman’s underwear. The woman has been charged with the supply of a dangerous drug (to correctional facility), one count of possession of a dangerous drug, and two counts related to the possession of drug related paraphernalia. She will appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on 10 April 2008.
Ms Spence said an overview of drug incidents at Woodford Correctional Centre in 2007 also showed the prevalence of women
The overview is as follows:
a. 2 Dec 2007. Female visitor swallowed a package prior to being searched.
b. 10 Nov 2007. A balloon containing tablets was located in the female toilets by a staff member.
c. 22 Oct 2007. Female visitor was observed passing a package (containing crushed tablets) to a prisoner during a contact visit.
d. 10 Oct 2007. Female visitor was targeted for searching and she surrendered a package containing 11 individually wrapped packages.
e. 8 Aug 2007. Clip seal bag containing two rolled up pieces of newspaper and a quantity of brown leafy material was located in incoming prisoner mail.
f. 29 May 2007. Female visitor targeted. Prior to being searched, visitor retrieved a package from her bra underneath her left arm.
g. 4 May 2007. Female visitor who was targeted for searching surrendered a package (containing white powder) prior to being searched.
h. 30 Apr 2007. Female visitor acted suspicious prior to entering centre. Search of her bag resulted in a clip seal bag containing a powdery substance being located.
i. 28 Mar 2007. Female visitor was suspected of having something in her mouth. Visitor swallowed (what she claimed was medication) prior to opening her mouth for a search. Several clip seal bags containing a white powder were located in her hand bag.
j. 21 Mar 2007. Female visitor surrendered a white balloon package prior to being searched.
k. 10 Mar 2007. Female visitor found in possession of a small package containing green leafy material during a search.
l. 8 Mar 2007. Female visitor was targeted for searching, whereby 4 packages of tablets were located.
m. 17 Feb 2007. Female visitor made admission to possessing a substance and surrendered a balloon containing two crushed buprenorphine tablets.
Media Contact: Minister’s Office – 3239 6218/0408 732 491
Ms Spence said: “Four women have been caught this month in alleged drug incidents at our prisons.
“We know from experience it is usually always women who attempt to bring in drugs.
“They face enormous pressure from imprisoned husbands, defactos, boyfriends, sons or other relatives to supply drugs.
“On top of that pressure, there is still a false perception that female visitors are not subject to the same rigorous checking as male visitors.
“This is simply not true. Highly sensitive electronic testing and drug dogs, combined with intelligence operations, mean there is a high chance of being discovered.
“Women with no criminal convictions of their own can soon find themselves facing charges and the possibility of jail.
“The main method of attempting to smuggle drugs into prison last year was by female visitors aged between 21-26 or 31-35. Most did not have previous criminal convictions. The primary method used was packaging tablets (mainly buprenorphine) in balloons which were then secreted in the visitors bra. This package would then be passed to the prisoner once in the visits yard.
“It’s just not worth attempting to smuggle drugs into prison at visits. Chances are you will be prosecuted,” Ms Spence said.
March 2008 incidents
March 22
Detectives from the Corrective Services Intelligence and Investigations Unit intercepted a 58 year old mother on her way to visit her son in Woodford Correctional Centre.
She was allegedly caught carrying rubber balloons containing buprenorphine in her bra and purse.
A search of the woman’s Toowoomba residence also located a Mossberg 12 gauge shotgun, ammunition, mace, 100 grams cannabis leaf, and a collection of testosterone and Oxychodone medications.
The woman has been charged with one count of supplying a dangerous drug to a correctional centre, two counts of possessing a dangerous drug and two weapons charges. She is due to appear in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on April 28.
The woman’s 28 year old son has also been issued with a notice to appear for supplying a dangerous drug to a correctional centre and is due to appear in Caboolture Magistrates Court on April 24.
March 17
A 25 year old female visitor to the Maryborough Correctional Centre was charged after three syringes and a small plastic bag containing white powder were allegedly found during a search of her car. One syringe was empty and the other two contained a clear liquid substance. The items were tested using the centre’s itemiser. The empty syringe returned a positive reading to cocaine, the other syringes returned a positive reading to morphine, and the powder returned a positive reading to methamphetamine. The woman is due to appear in the Maryborough Magistrates Court on April 8. She has been banned from visiting the centre until the finalisation of the court hearing.
March 17
Queensland Police conducted a Roadside Drug Testing operation at the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre. The operation involved intercepting visitors before they entered the Correctional Centre. Passive alert drug detection dogs (PADD) and Active Dogs were also used to screen all visitors and their vehicles in the car park. 29 random breath tests and 29 random drug tests were conducted. There were two positive indications to drugs resulting from the drug detection dogs. An 18 year old Acacia Ridge woman was charged with possessing a dangerous drug and has accepted drug diversion. A 19 year old Seven Hills woman was charged with unlicensed driving.
March 13
A 21 year old female visitor is facing charges after she was caught allegedly attempting to smuggle drugs into Woodford Correctional Centre. A straw containing white powder tightly wound with Sellotape was allegedly found in the waist band of the Coorparoo woman’s underwear. The woman has been charged with the supply of a dangerous drug (to correctional facility), one count of possession of a dangerous drug, and two counts related to the possession of drug related paraphernalia. She will appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on 10 April 2008.
Ms Spence said an overview of drug incidents at Woodford Correctional Centre in 2007 also showed the prevalence of women
The overview is as follows:
a. 2 Dec 2007. Female visitor swallowed a package prior to being searched.
b. 10 Nov 2007. A balloon containing tablets was located in the female toilets by a staff member.
c. 22 Oct 2007. Female visitor was observed passing a package (containing crushed tablets) to a prisoner during a contact visit.
d. 10 Oct 2007. Female visitor was targeted for searching and she surrendered a package containing 11 individually wrapped packages.
e. 8 Aug 2007. Clip seal bag containing two rolled up pieces of newspaper and a quantity of brown leafy material was located in incoming prisoner mail.
f. 29 May 2007. Female visitor targeted. Prior to being searched, visitor retrieved a package from her bra underneath her left arm.
g. 4 May 2007. Female visitor who was targeted for searching surrendered a package (containing white powder) prior to being searched.
h. 30 Apr 2007. Female visitor acted suspicious prior to entering centre. Search of her bag resulted in a clip seal bag containing a powdery substance being located.
i. 28 Mar 2007. Female visitor was suspected of having something in her mouth. Visitor swallowed (what she claimed was medication) prior to opening her mouth for a search. Several clip seal bags containing a white powder were located in her hand bag.
j. 21 Mar 2007. Female visitor surrendered a white balloon package prior to being searched.
k. 10 Mar 2007. Female visitor found in possession of a small package containing green leafy material during a search.
l. 8 Mar 2007. Female visitor was targeted for searching, whereby 4 packages of tablets were located.
m. 17 Feb 2007. Female visitor made admission to possessing a substance and surrendered a balloon containing two crushed buprenorphine tablets.
Media Contact: Minister’s Office – 3239 6218/0408 732 491