News Releases

Prairies Region

News Release

Communiqué

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WINNIPEG, MB, July 25, 2005 - Institutional staff are credited with preventing the introduction of drugs into the institution this week. On July 24, 2005, a visitor was discovered to be involved in attempting to introduce contraband into the institution. This is the fifth such seizure this year as compared with two seizures from visitors in 2004.

On the morning of July 24, 2005, staff monitoring visits observed a female visitor attempting to pass a package containing contraband drugs, hidden in a beverage, to an inmate. The package was seized and the subject was taken into custody by the Stonewall RCMP. The visitor has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking. Subsequent investigation revealed that the packages contained 4 oxycontin pills, with an approximate institutional value of $800.

The Correctional Service of 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 551 inmates in total at the facility.

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For more information, media representatives may contact:

Lisa Waddell
A/Deputy Warden
(204) 344-5111

or:

Gerry Michayluk
Assistant Director
(780) 585-5002