Opioid substitute Buprenorphine smuggled into Qld jails

A drug that’s in short supply in the state’s jails under a government program is being smuggled in and commanding hundreds of dollars.

Several hundred of the state’s drug-addicted prisoners are waiting to get on to an opioid substitute program as authorities continue to nab people smuggling in tabs of the same drug selling for hundreds of dollars in jail.

Suboxone and Subutex, consisting of the drug Buprenorphine – used for opioid dependence – are being brought into the state’s jails through visitors and even in legal mail, with a single tab worth up to hundreds of dollars.

The same drugs are being administered as part of a Queensland Health-run program, however are a long-acting injection of Buprenorphine which has a slower month-long release that reduces cravings without giving a drug high.

It comes as prison authorities continue to catch inmates with the smuggled in contraband, with Suboxone strips sometimes fetching as much as $800 each.

The smuggled drugs have a short-term “hit” for prisoners, who sometimes inject the drug, and remain a hot commodity on the jail black market.

In May, a drug dog caught a visitor at Woodford jail trying to smuggle in 867 Suboxone strips and three grams of methamphetamine which authorities say has a combined total of about $1.2m inside jail.

The seizure followed other significant hauls that have even included people using a delivery truck to try to smuggle in a package of Subutex strips worth $37,000 to Wolston jail in Brisbane in January.

Buprenorphine has a high value for illicit use in the prison system.

Queensland Corrective Services declined to release details about overall Suboxone and Subutex seizures and positive urine samples for prisoners and said it would have to be made through a Right to Information request.

There are approximately 700 prisoners participating in Queensland Health’s Opioid Substitution Treatment program but The Courier-Mail understands there are several hundred of the state’s 10,000-plus criminals on a waiting list trying to get the treatment.

Officers said the backlog has been problematic with some prisoners injecting themselves with dirty needles to get to hospital to “bypass the waitlist”.

“There is still a major backlog,” an officer said.

It’s understood some drug-addicted prisoners, who aren’t addicted to opioids, have also tried to get on to the program which has added to delays.

Officers have said that body scanners are needed in jails to stop drugs including Suboxone and Subutex getting inside and being sold.

A Queensland Corrective Services spokeswoman said body scanners would be trialled next year at Brisbane Women’s jail and the new men’s prison that is yet to be completed at Gatton.

Prisoners would undergo body scanners which would be able to detect powdered drugs, pills and Suboxone strips.

A Queensland Health spokeswoman said the OST program was available in all Queensland jails after its rollout in mid-2022.

“We are currently working on ways to make OST more accessible to people who need it,” a spokeswoman said.

“We will continue to monitor and evaluate the program to ensure its future success in minimising harm to people who have been users of opioids.”