Booze, cigars, drugs and phones hurled over prison fence
HMP Northward, Grand Cayman
(CNS): Five packs of double platinum cigars, over four pounds of ganja, electronics and other contraband was lobbed over the prison fence at HMP Northward this week, officials have revealed. Following intelligence received by prison staff, officers recovered a dozen parcels of booty Monday that included around $4,000 worth of marijuana and rolling papers, as well as five bottles of booze, three chargers and four phones.
Prison Director Neil Lavis said it was a significant find. “It’s a shame that goods are still flung over the prison fence,” he said. “We work hard to battle the ongoing threat that these illegal items represent, and I want to thank the staff for their hard work and dedication in developing and acting on this intelligence.”
Lavis added that officers working at the jail would keep battling the problem but reminded the perpetrators of the stiff penalties for supplying illegal goods to prisoners.
“The Prison Service will continue its efforts to intercept drugs and other prohibited items as well as the persons responsible for throwing them over the fence, or bringing them in on their person. The penalty for delivering contraband to incarcerated prisoners is $15,000 and up to three years imprisonment,” he said, as he urged the public to give serious consideration to the penalties for trafficking.
Lavis also noted that there were far-ranging effects for inmates as well. Those found to be in possession of, or dealing in, contraband face extended sentences, potential conflicts with other prisoners and the loss of often hard-won privileges.
The prison director has noted on a number of occasions the problems he has with an inadequate facility when it comes to security. The new perimeter fence is still an ineffective barrier and those intent on trafficking drugs and other illegal contraband into the jail are still able to throw packages into areas of the prison where inmates have access.
Following the latest review by the UK prison inspectorate, which condemned the prison facilities, Lavis has said that Cayman needs a new prison, though he has acknowledged that there is little political or public support for such an investment and he will be forced to continue doing what he can to upgrade the current jail from its $10 million annual budget allocation.
The fact that Cayman cannot stop this simple, absolutely primitive crime speaks volumes and volumes and volumes of where this country’s head is at.
Why is it that so much attention is spent on what Prisoners do or do not do? They are already in Prison – how is it affecting you who are not in Prison? Why don’t care about the low penalties for having SEX with little children? About the 700 families who live without water and lights? About the high unemployment of our youth ( who will end up in Prison for you to care whether they get illegal contraband)? About the number of families who are losing their homes?
I don’t understand the interest in Prisoners – they already in Prison! Use that passion and ask for improvement in our lives out here so we don’t end up in Prison – and never say not me. You don’t know what you are capable of until you are in that situation. Use your time on something more productive that whether Prisoners receive illegal substances. They are not hurting you. But the people who are suffering out here can.
wut
I like 20 year old scotch. You can bubble wrap some and throw it over my fence?
No one throws anything valuable into my yard. It totally sucks.
Simple fix of a second fence with a 15 foot distance from the original circumference fence. It will shrink the prison grounds significantly but seems that it is well deserved,
This won’t help when they start using drones to resupply inmates. Neither will dogs.
“The penalty for delivering contraband to incarcerated prisoners is $15,000 and up to three years imprisonment,” he said.
Has anyone ever been caught and successfully prosecuted?
Cant we just send the prisoners to Iraq for rehabilitation?…
Government employs well hundreds if not thousands of security guards (partly because some senior civil servants have an interest in the ownership of some of the security companies). Why not employ security guards with guard dogs to patrol the perimeter fence on a 24 hour basis. This will help to keep the prisoners in and the contraband out.
Guard dogs are all that is needed. An easy and economical fix.
Sssshh. If you tell people that they will work out that Government in fact employs hundreds more expats than they pretend.
It’s a cruel world. My fence is only 2 feet high and it’s not a crime to throw any of that stuff into my yard, yet every morning when I go out it’s the same old story, nothing!
How much would a slightly higher fence cost?
why are prisoners allowed phones and cigarettes in the first place…..
at northward it seems like the inmates run the asylum…
I wonder if the recent prison auditors from UK know about these “special care packages”. Maybe, if they did they would upgrade the prison status to at least 5 star.
There is on road leading to the Prison. Seriously, how hard would it be to monitor who comes and goes, electronically or otherwise?
Why do they have to be out of their cells for more than 1 hour per day? I read too many times that the football group in Switzerland, were allowed out of their cells for 1 hour every day. We always get it wrong and the criminals have it right. Feed them less, work them harder, and make sure they get the right portions and I am sure they won’t cause so many problems.
Where is the surveillance for the compound? If life was different inside you wouldn’t have that many repeat offenders. One visit only.
This isn’t anything new…take a look at face book you see prisoners taking selfies or of their cell mates.
Nothward has a facebook page?