Worker busted while attempting to smuggle over 2kg ganja into prison

A construction worker was arrested on Thursday evening after prison officers intercepted an attempt to smuggle cannabis into the Mazaruni Prison during a routine security check. The incident occurred at about 20:30h at the prison checkpoint, where officers on duty discovered the ganja after the worker returned to the prison compound. According to reports, the man attached to an engineering company, was found with 2,087 grams of cannabis concealed in his bag.
After the discovery, he was arrested and escorted to the Bartica Police Station. He remains in custody pending charges. Following his arrest, Director of Prisons Nicklon Elliot said individuals who attempt to smuggle contraband into prison facilities will be arrested and prosecuted. He noted that contraband poses a risk to the safety and security of staff, inmates, and the public and warned against any such activity. Elliot also expressed appreciation for the alertness of prison officers whose vigilance led to the interception of the cannabis and the arrest of Sinclair.
This arrest comes less than three months after a labourer, Timothy Mc Garrell, of Timehri Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was sentenced to three years in prison after being charged with attempting to introduce narcotics into a correctional facility, following his guilty plea. The 24-year-old man was charged with introducing narcotics into prison, contrary to Section 7(1)(a)(i) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, Chapter 10:10. The offence was committed on Tuesday at Lusignan Prison. He appeared before Senior Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court, where the charge was read to him. After pleading guilty, he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and fined $30,000. Prison officials have reiterated a warning to the public against accepting or transporting packages on behalf of inmates without first verifying their contents.
They advised that individuals should exercise caution when dealing with third-party deliveries destined for correctional facilities, stressing the importance of knowing exactly what is being carried into such institutions. The issue was highlighted during a “Prisons in Focus” programme, where senior officers noted an increase in cases involving persons who later claimed they were unaware of the contents of items in their possession. Prison officials emphasised that correctional facilities are equipped with multiple layers of security screening designed to detect contraband and other prohibited materials before they reach inmates.