ACT Policing executed four search warrants on cells within the Alexander Maconochie Centre last night (Tuesday, May 13) following an extensive police operation into the suspected supply of drugs within the prison and the ACT.
Working closely with ACT Corrections officers, detectives from ACT Policing’s Criminal Investigations Drugs and Organised Crime Team executed the warrants around 7.30pm, systematically searching the cells of a number of detainees suspected to be involved.
The warrants resulted in the seizure of six mobile phones and an amount of suspected methylamphetamine and cannabis. Enquiries are ongoing and charges will be laid at a later date.
ACT Policing has been working in close cooperation with ACT Corrective Services and NSW Police throughout the investigation.
As a further link to this investigation, last night police executed a search warrant on a residence in Stirling and seized an amount of suspected methylamphetamine and various documents. A 22-year-old woman was arrested at the location for drug offences and will face court at a later date.
A further four people, two of whom are from Canberra, were arrested in Sydney by NSW Police and a trafficable quantity of drugs seized in connection with this operation.
(ACT Policing media release)
Loading ...
Tooks said :
I understood that when one was “a guest of HM” they were subject to a cell search at any time by the custodians.
Then again, were are talking about the involvement of trade unions here so I guess the corrective service officers could refuse the police access but they can’t refuse a law officer with a court order (search warrant).
Is that on the same plane that you were thinking?
Corrective Services run the prisons, police wouldn’t usually have much to do with them. But if they are investigating crimes behind bars they would want to go to an extra special effort to show they weren’t taking advantage of prisoners.
dungfungus said :
I’m curious as to why you think they wouldn’t require a search warrant?
dungfungus said :
Yes they are.
milkman said :
Most of the “guests” at the AMC are there because they have violated someone else’s human rights.
bigfeet said :
And yet our elected representatives in Canberra seem to think it very important that our prison is human rights compliant. Hmmm…
VYBerlinaV8_is_back said :
I think you would be surprised. The Australian public doesn’t give a flying fig about prisoners. Most people I know would not be the slightest bit concerned if criminals were kept in complete solitary confinement for their entire term. Don’t like it? Don’t commit the crime.
Also , no one I know would care if all visitors had to undergo a cavity search before visiting the convicts. Don’t like it? Don’t visit.
Henry82 said :
Probably because it really isnt a prison, it is a correctional/long term day care centre. Prisons dont spend money on expensive, dangerous, glass artwork that could be fashioned into a deadly weapon with ease.
Prisons also operate like prisons, not holiday camps. The only thing prison like about the place is how organised the convicts are.
VYBerlinaV8_is_back said :
So they don’t utilise airport body scanners to prevent visitors from bringing in contraband?
justsomeaussie said :
Drugs and contraband will always get into prisons, mainly because the Australian public won’t like the measures needed to keep them out.
dungfungus said :
+1
You would think they could afford a couple of cans of Pal a week and a sniffer dog!
One has to wonder how a brand new prison could be so massively full of holes that these things can get in. Perhaps the police should be searching the correction officers and visitors as well. What next a gun inside?
Since when did the police need search warrants to enter a cell in a prison?