Pubdate: Fri, 07 Sep 2007
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2007 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact:  http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502
Author: Kevin Rollason

STONY MOUNTAIN GUARDS ON WATCH FOR DRUGS

CRIMINALS may be off the street and in Stony Mountain Institution, 
but that doesn't mean they no longer want illegal drugs.

In the last two weeks, the prison's correctional officers, drug 
detector dog team, and security intelligence office have been 
credited with making two drug seizures from visitors coming to the 
facility before they meet with inmates.

"We've become very good at what we do in finding drugs," said Aimee 
Fortier, a Stony Mountain spokeswoman.

"The Correctional Service of Canada has a zero tolerance for the use 
and trafficking of drugs in the institutions."

Corrections officials said a vehicle arriving for a cultural event at 
the prison was stopped and searched on Aug. 24. The search found two 
suspicious packages which, when opened by officers at the nearby RCMP 
detachment in Stonewall, contained about 28.5 grams of marijuana, 
worth about $4,500 in the institution.

The pair in the vehicle have been charged with drug trafficking.

Then on Aug. 29, a female visitor was interviewed after being checked 
by a drug detector dog. The woman, who was later turned over to the 
RCMP, voluntarily surrendered three small packages hidden in her 
clothing which contained marijuana.

"Inmates have demonstrated they can be creative in the way they will 
attempt to bring contraband into the institution," Fortier said.

"Almost 80 per cent of the offenders in federal prisons do so with 
drug abuse problems. Unfortunately, when addictions are involved, 
there will be times inmates will try getting drugs into the institutions."

Fortier said there are stiff penalties for trying to bring drugs into prison.

Last year, a woman caught smuggling marijuana and morphine to a 
friend at the penitentiary received a four-month jail sentence.

And Fortier said she knows of at least one case which saw the 
offender get sentenced to two years in prison.

Fortier said if anyone is being threatened or forced to bring drugs 
to the institution, they can call 344-6000 to arrange for their 
safety in the community.

Stony Mountain Institution is located 11 kilometres north of Winnipeg 
and houses 540 federal inmates.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart