Another smuggle attempt averted at Lusignan prison

The prison service continues to grapple with challenges at the Lusignan Prison, East Coast Demerara as another smuggler attempted to throw a bag of contraband items over the prison walls in the wee hours of Tuesday.

Prison Director (ag), Gladwin Samuels told the media that at around 02:15 hrs, an unknown individual was seen by police and prison ranks on duty at the northeastern section of the holding area Lusignan.

The person attempted to throw a black plastic parcel over the fence.

“Reports are that ranks fired at the individual who made good his escape. However, in the process dropped the parcel,” the Prison Director said.

A check of the area revealed ten parcels, a camouflage hat and short camouflage pants.

Samuels said checks were conducted by both police and prison ranks of the adjoining village and access roads but the individual escaped.

When opened, the parcels contain 1002 grams of narcotics, a large quantity of tobacco leaves, four cellphones without SIM cards, one charger, one earpiece and 33 packets of Bristol cigarettes.

This is not the first time that smugglers have attempted to throw contraband items over the walls of the Lusignan prison. The first reported incident occurred on June 11 when Police fired a warning shot at a smuggler.

On June 20, 31 improvised weapons and other items were found in the Lusignan prison and on June 23, a prisoner was caught with a knife and a cutlass.