Desperate to regain their freedom during the festive season‚ inmates are particularly inventive at this time of the year when it comes to finding ways to smuggle contraband into prisons.
With this in mind‚ the department of correctional services has tightened security at its 243 prisons with an annual security campaign known as Operation Vala‚ or lockdown.
According to the department‚ inmates want to escape for various reasons‚ including to participate in crimes and be with family or friends. Failing that‚ they seek solace by smuggling in drugs‚ alcohol and other bootleg items.
The campaign‚ which began on December 6 and runs until January 7‚ has resulted in numerous unauthorised items being confiscated from offenders.
The department said an operation at Losperfontein Correctional Centre in North West‚ netted dagga‚ television sets‚ music systems‚ kettles‚ cellphones‚ sharp objects‚ electrical extensions‚ a four-pound hammer‚ a device to break windows and lots of home-made alcohol.
Correctional Services National Commissioner‚ Zach Modise‚ said smuggling was an assisted process and urged the public to play their part by not helping offenders to perpetuate further crimes through smuggling.
“We want to remind officials‚ inmates and families of offenders that you are an accessory to crime by assisting offenders in smuggling as well as the provision of illegal‚ unauthorised items‚” Modise said.
He also said there were also some officials in the department who were helping offenders smuggle contraband and they must be rooted out.
“We also note that is not adequately capacitated to deal with the influx of cellphones‚ although the use of technology to detect cellphones has already been employed in certain centres.
“We will continue to ensure that tough action is taking against those found guilty of supplying inmates with contraband. We want to urge the public to play their part by not helping offenders to perpetuate further crime through smuggling‚” Modise said.
Focus areas for Operation Vala include tightening security measures at prisons‚ increased supervision of officials as well as decreasing idleness amongst inmates. — Tiso Black Star Group Digital
Dagga‚ TVs and a hammer among contraband seized in pre-Christmas prison crackdown
With this in mind‚ the department of correctional services has tightened security at its 243 prisons with an annual security campaign known as Operation Vala‚ or lockdown.
According to the department‚ inmates want to escape for various reasons‚ including to participate in crimes and be with family or friends. Failing that‚ they seek solace by smuggling in drugs‚ alcohol and other bootleg items.
The campaign‚ which began on December 6 and runs until January 7‚ has resulted in numerous unauthorised items being confiscated from offenders.
The department said an operation at Losperfontein Correctional Centre in North West‚ netted dagga‚ television sets‚ music systems‚ kettles‚ cellphones‚ sharp objects‚ electrical extensions‚ a four-pound hammer‚ a device to break windows and lots of home-made alcohol.
Correctional Services National Commissioner‚ Zach Modise‚ said smuggling was an assisted process and urged the public to play their part by not helping offenders to perpetuate further crimes through smuggling.
“We want to remind officials‚ inmates and families of offenders that you are an accessory to crime by assisting offenders in smuggling as well as the provision of illegal‚ unauthorised items‚” Modise said.
He also said there were also some officials in the department who were helping offenders smuggle contraband and they must be rooted out.
“We also note that is not adequately capacitated to deal with the influx of cellphones‚ although the use of technology to detect cellphones has already been employed in certain centres.
“We will continue to ensure that tough action is taking against those found guilty of supplying inmates with contraband. We want to urge the public to play their part by not helping offenders to perpetuate further crime through smuggling‚” Modise said.
Focus areas for Operation Vala include tightening security measures at prisons‚ increased supervision of officials as well as decreasing idleness amongst inmates. — Tiso Black Star Group Digital
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