Prisons’ director orders intensive drugs search inside Corradino

A surprise inspection inside the Corradino Correctional Facility yielded no drug finds, the ministry for home affairs Manuel Mallia said in a statement.

The inspection was ordered by the prisons director, and carried out by 26 correctional officers, members of the Special Response Team, and two police officers from the canine drug squad.

The intensive search was carried out in Divisions 1 and 2, as well as within the CCF school, taking three hours and a half long. Searches were carried out in 91 cells in the two divisions.

"While no drugs were found, many other things that are not allowed were found, such as two mobile phones, an internet key, a SIM card, a hard disc and a pen drive. This search was carried out to ensure full supervision of convict activities, and to ensure that no contacts with outside criminality are taking place inside the prison," Mallia said.

The minister said the problem of drugs inside the CCF had been going on for years, as evidenced by urine samples taken from prison warders that tested positive for drug use.