- 83 scanners installed at prison gates to thwart smuggling by
visitors
- sharp image quality to detect drugs and phones that lead to
violence behind bars
- builds on raft of prison security measures introduced by this
government to cut crime and keep public safe
Over 80 high-tech X-ray machines will be installed by the end of
March – building on the body scanners, drug-trace machines, metal
detection archways and more that have stopped tens of thousands
of items from wreaking havoc inside prisons.
For the first time, prisons beyond the high security estate will
use the new, improved machines to check baggage brought in
by the thousands of staff and visitors who enter and exit prisons
every day.
To date, these machines have stopped huge hauls of illegal
contraband from getting into prisons with recent finds including:
- 99 sheets of ‘spice’ paper, worth almost £60,000 inside
prisons, in a cardboard box with a false bottom
- nearly £40,000 worth of cannabis and tobacco concealed in
curry and beef stew tins, and
- a bottle of washing-up liquid that tested positive for heroin
The most challenging 44 prisons will be the first to benefit from
the machines – developed by VMI Security – which offer
high-quality, sharp images to detect drugs, phones and
high-density materials.
Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, , said:
These X-ray bag scanners are a powerful addition to the body
scanners, drug-trace machines, metal detection archways and extra
drug dogs we have added in recent years to keep drugs, mobile
phones and other contraband out of our prisons.
This is getting more prisoners off drugs, and helping to keep our
streets safer.
The latest development follows the success of our 75 X-ray body
scanners, across 74 male prisons, which have disrupted around
20,000 attempts to smuggle harmful items into prisons in 2 years.
Last year, dozens of prisons were also kitted out with new
drug-trace machines that can detect microscopic smears of new
psychoactive substances such as ‘spice’ on mail and
items of clothing – stopping dangerous drugs from getting onto
wings.
The £100 million investment into cutting-edge security across the
prison estate forms part of the ambitious Prisons Strategy White
Paper, published just over a year ago.
The comprehensive plan committed to making prisons safer, modern
and more innovative for the thousands of people who work and are
held in them – including a zero-tolerance approach to the
smuggling of dangerous contraband which can thwart prisoners in
their efforts to rehabilitate.
