A prison officer attached to the New Amsterdam, Berbice Prison was caught attempting to smuggle marijuana into the facility on Saturday.
The Standard Operating Procedures specifying that a search be conducted on “all prison officers entering the compound”. As such, the female officer searched her colleague but nothing was found. The officer then carried out a search of the water bottle that she was holding. Inside the water bottle was a transparent, taped package containing cannabis leaves, seeds and stems.
The officer contacted her supervisor, after which, a further search was carried out, in her presence, on her motor car PZZ 1197. On the floor behind the driver’s seat, a black plastic bag containing two transparent parcels wrapped with tape was found. An examination was carried out on the parcels, and it was observed that a quantity of cannabis leaves, seeds, and stems was found.
The police were summoned and the parcels were handed over which, when weighed, amounted to 289 grams. The water bottle was also handed over to the police.
The prison officer was arrested and escorted to the Central Police Station. The officer, whom the police has not identified, remains in custody, assisting with the investigation.
