Seven inmates sick and one in intensive care after ‘bad’ drugs smuggled into prison

One prisoner remains intubated in hospital as a result of taking the drugs believed to a counterfeit version of ‘benzos’ - a sedative drug.

The incident highlights how drug use behind bars has rebounded after Covid lock-downs saw a huge reduction in smuggled drugs reaching prisoners.

Director general of the prison service Caron McCaffrey told media at the Prison Officers Association conference today how drugs remain a serious problem behind bars.

During Covid lock7down there was a vast reduction in drugs successfully smuggled into prison but “now what we are seeing regrettably is an increase in drugs in prisons.”

“What we saw during Covid, because we had quarantine for committals, was a vast reduction in drugs available across the prisons.”

“Just this week in Cloverhill prison. We have people coming in who have drugs concealed internally, but also we are seeing a reversion to what we would have seen as traditional routes of getting drugs into prison which is the throwing of drugs into yards.”

“This week in Cloverhill prison, drugs were thrown over the yard were ingested by prisoners. Seven prisoners became very unwell, three had to be hospitalised and as we speak today one intubated in hospital.”

“Drugs pose a huge risk to prisoners, to their own health and well-being. They are not conducive to people using their time well in custody, to reduce their risk of re-offending.”

Ms McCaffrey also cited plans to introduce prisoner-led schemes as well as plans to introduce better scanners including x-rays machines.

She also said there are plans to co-ordinate with the gardaí to take a ‘strategic’ approach to drug smuggling into prisons.

“That’s something we’ll be looking to expand.”

“We currently working a new illicit drugs strategy – we've done quite a lot with the introduction of new technology to keep help us keep drugs out of prison, but there is certainly a lot more we could do.”

“We’ve looking a new technology that’s being used by other services, x-ray body scanners. Evidence from other jurisdictions show 40 per cent of people committed to prison have drugs concealed internally and that we be consistent with our view.”

Attempts to smuggle psychoactive drugs soaked in photos or documents saw the recent introduction of special scanners which have successfully being used to curtail the practice.

However, prison sources said drugs concealed in copper pipes “rain down” into the yards in Cloverhill on a daily basis.

Criminal gangs stand to make huge profits selling drugs behind bars where they can change hands for up treble the price on the streets outside.

The main route is through inmates concealing drugs internally when being admitted to prison.

Some vulnerable prisoners have been forced to ‘body-pack’ tablets on return from temporary release, sources added.