News Releases

Pacific Region

News Release

Communiqué

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ABBOTSFORD, BC, April 11, 2006 - At approximately 10:00 a.m. on April 9th, a correctional officer found a tennis ball containing illicit drugs at the base of the inner perimeter fence adjacent to the exercise yard at Matsqui Institution in Abbotsford. A search of the institution's exercise yard was conducted and no further items were present. The tennis ball contained 8.4 grams of marijuana, 13.4 grams of marijuana laced with amphetamines, 2.8 grams of cocaine and 1.6 grams of heroin. The drugs have an estimated street value of approximately $970 as valued by the RCMP Drug Directorate.

The presence of drugs in prisons continues to be of great concern to the Correctional Service of Canada as it is often related to the commission of crimes, the transmission of infectious diseases and violence in institutions. CSC is committed to eliminating drug use in its facilities by reducing both the supply of and demand for drugs among offenders.

The Correctional Service of Canada has set up a telephone Tip-Line at all federal institutions in the Pacific Region to provide an additional source for receiving information about activities that relate to safety and security of CSC institutions. These activities may be related to drug use or trafficking that may threaten the safety and security of people visiting, working at, or housed within a CSC facility.

The toll-free Tip-Line number is 1-866-955-5550.

On April 10^th at 4:50 p.m., Matsqui Institution was placed on lockdown as the result of an assault on an inmate. The institution is expected to return to normal routine today.

Matsqui Institution is a medium-security facility operated by the Correctional Service of Canada. It is located in Abbotsford and has a current population of 334 male offenders.

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For more information, media representatives may contact:

Cindy Lewis
A/Assistant Warden, Management Services
(604) 859-4841