News Releases

Prairies Region

News Release

Communiqué

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

STONY MOUNTAIN, MB, June 8, 2005 - Institutional staff and Stony Mountain's drug detection dog team are credited with preventing the introduction of drugs into the institution this week. On June 3, 2005, two separate visitors were discovered to be involved in attempting to introduce contraband to the institution. This is the third and fourth such seizure this year as compared with two seizures from visitors in 2004.

On the morning of June 3, 2005 as a result of an indication from the institution's drug detector dog, a joint investigation by Correctional Service of Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police resulted in the seizure of 34 grams of marijuana that was to be smuggled into the prison. The drugs had an approximate institutional value of $2,720.

Later that afternoon, staff monitoring visits observed a female visitor attempting to introduce a number of balloons containing contraband drugs into the visiting area. The packages were seized and the subject was taken into custody by the Stonewall RCMP. Subsequent investigation revealed that the packages contained 29 x 100mg morphine pills, with an approximate institutional value of $2,900. The visitor has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Correctional Service Canada is committed to a zero tolerance policy that uses a combination of screening techniques for visitors, and dynamic security provided by correctional officers to combat the introduction and use of drugs in federal facilities. The use of a drug detection dog and an ionscan machine at the main entrance can detect drugs that are on or have been in contact with visitors. There also is a community policing relationship with the nearby Village of Stony Mountain and the RCMP that has improved the sharing of information, resulting in arrests. Routine searches by correctional officers have also yielded numerous seizures throughout the year.

Stony Mountain Institution acknowledges that visitors play an important role in preventing the flow of drugs into our prisons. We would like to make the public aware that inmates may try to force visitors to smuggle drugs into the prisons using manipulation, threats, violence and blackmail. If visitors are being threatened or coerced into bringing drugs to a friend or family member, the institution has staff that they can talk to and help to arrange for their safety in the community. That contact number is (204) 344-6000.

Stony Mountain Institution is a federal institution for medium security inmates located 11 kilometers north of Winnipeg. There are currently 535 inmates in total at the facility.

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For more information, media representatives may contact:

Linda Garwood-Filbert
Unit Manager
(204) 344-5111