CONCERNS have been raised after it emerged there were more than 300 drug finds in the north’s prisons during lockdown when in-person visits were suspended.
Figures provided by the prison service reveal that between March 2020 and April 2022 there were 316 individual drugs finds - an average of 12 a month.
All in-person prison visits were suspended by authorities in March 2020 in response to the emerging coronavirus crisis.
The strict regime and other restrictions were eventually lifted in April last year.
While in-person visiting rules were temporarily varied by authorities at different stages harsh measures remained in place, including the use of a perspex screen and a ban on physical contact.
SDLP justice spokeswoman Sinéad McLaughlin described the figures as concerning.
“The scale of drugs seizures during this period is clearly a concern, particularly given the more stringent conditions in force at the time,” she said.
“We need to be doing everything possible to eradicate the insidious influence of drugs on people in custody.”
Ms McLaughlin urged the prison service to explain how the recovered drugs made their way into the system.
“So, what we need to know is if these finds are the result of a supply that has remained within the prison system and has been tightly controlled or whether new supplies of drugs made their way into prisons during the lockdown conditions,” she said.
“Either way, this is a serious issue and we need to hear from the Prison Service as a matter of urgency.”
The majority of drugs seizures were made at the high security Maghaberry Prison, in Co Antrim, which had 217 individual finds.
Magilligan Prison in Co Derry registered 20 finds.
Hydebank Wood College in in Belfast houses both young men and female offenders.
Between March 2020 and April last year 16 finds were made in the male wing of the prison while 9 seizures took place in the female section.
The Prison Service has said it is unable to provide information on the substances seized.
A spokesman said: "While the prison service does not comment on security procedures, those with drug seeking behaviours will always try to find new ways to smuggle contraband into and within a prison.
"As determined as those people are however, the prison service is equally determined to stop them."
The spokesman said the prison service intends to contact Ms McLaughlin.
"During this particular period, while the number of finds were relatively low when compared to the prisoner population, the prison service saw an increase in the misuse and misappropriation of prescribed medication, which is a challenging issue within prisons in Northern Ireland," he said.
"While the prison service has not been contacted by Ms McLaughlin, we will be contacting her on this issue to offer a briefing on the work of the service during the pandemic."
