$200k of Buprenorphine, tobacco, mobile phones confiscated at western Sydney prison

Over $200,000 worth of Buprenorphine strips were snared by “eagle-eyed” officers at a western Sydney prison, as well as a haul of mobile phones, smokes, and a G-Shock watch.

The whopping haul, including 194 Buprenorphine strips, confiscated at Geoffrey Pearce Correctional Centre in Windsor by Corrective Services staff. Picture: Corrective Services NSW

Over $200,000 worth of drugs were snared by “eagle-eyed” officers at a western Sydney prison, as well as a haul of mobile phones, smokes and even a technical watch, with the Corrections Minister describing the ongoing fight against prohibited items as “contraband whack-a-mole”.

NSW Corrective Services officers at Geoffrey Pearce Correctional Centre, in Windsor, were praised by Corrections Minister Geoff Lee as their quick-thinking and beady eyes intercepted a suspicion package, which ultimately revealed a contraband haul.

Eagle-eyed officers were conducting security checks of a minimum-security work area at the prison, prior to inmates being granted access, when they intercepted a suspicious package in a loading dock.

The package concealed five mobile phones, nine SIM cards, 194 Buprenorphine strips, tobacco, green vegetable matter and a G-shock watch.

Buprenorphine is an opioid typically used as a heroin/methadone replacement and to treat pain.

Tobacco confiscated at Geoffrey Pearce Correctional Centre in Windsor by Corrective Services staff. Picture: Corrective Services NSW

Tobacco confiscated at Geoffrey Pearce Correctional Centre in Windsor by Corrective Services staff. Picture: Corrective Services NSW

Corrective services officers say the strips had a rough value of $200,000 when sold in prison.

“Our officers are our number one weapon when it comes to fighting contraband in our prison system,” commissioner Kevin Corcoran PSM said.

“While we have various tools and methods for detecting contraband – like CCTV and body scanners – it’s our highly trained, skilled staff who we rely upon to detect abnormalities.”

Mobile phones and SIM cards confiscated at Geoffrey Pearce Correctional Centre in Windsor by Corrective Services staff. Picture: Corrective Services NSW

Green vegetable matter, concealed in a sock, confiscated at Geoffrey Pearce Correctional Centre in Windsor by Corrective Services staff. Picture: Corrective Services NSW

Mr Corcoran said the vigilance of staff remained key across the state’s prisons to ensure contraband didn’t worm its way into the system.

“Correctional facilities are highly secure and controlled environments, but minimum-security areas can pose additional challenges because inmates are naturally afforded more freedom of movement during the day,” he said.

In the days after the first intercept, in the same area, officers found and confiscated a mobile phone, three SIM cards and 1.1kg of tobacco.

Dr Lee said contraband prevention was an ongoing challenge.

“Stopping drugs and phones entering our prisons is like playing a game of contraband whack-a-mole; no matter how hard and often you strike, someone will always work out new ways to try and bring it in,” he said.

“Corrective Services staff know this challenge – that’s why they’re on the frontline every day, keeping vigilant and using their expertise to prevent these items from reaching inmate hands.”

Daily searches for illegal and banned items are conducted by centre staff on prisoners, visitors, cells and all common areas. This is in addition to searches by the specialist Security Operations Group, who use trained detection K9s.