Drug arrests in the prison

A 34-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man have been arrested following attempts to smuggle drugs into the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) prison this month.

Last Thursday (March 24), the 34-year-old Florey woman attended the AMC as a visitor and after a search conducted by the canine drug detection unit, she was found in possession of three contraband tablets, hidden in her bra.

She was arrested and taken to the ACT Watch House, where she was charged with possessing a drug of dependence and taking a prohibited item into a correctional centre. She will face the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday April 6.

In a separate incident yesterday (Wednesday, March 30), a 24-year-old Macgregor man was arrested after a search found cannabis in a locker in which he had placed his belongings while visiting the centre. He will be summonsed to appear in the ACT Magistrates Court at a later date, charged with possessing drug of dependence and taking a prohibited item into a correctional centre.

Officer in Charge of Tuggeranong Station, Rod Anderson said that both ACT Policing and ACT Corrective Services consider any attempt to smuggle contraband items into the prison as a very serious offence.

“In both instances, the drugs were detected by the ACT Corrective Services staff and police were notified. ACT Policing will continue to work closely with ACT Corrective Services to detect, apprehend and prosecute anyone found trying to smuggle drugs or any other contraband item into the prison,” Sergeant Anderson said.

[Courtesy ACT Policing]