Airport body scanners foil 20,000 prison drug smuggling attempts
AIRPORT-style body scanners are making huge inroads in the battle to stamp out drugs and violence in prisons.
The high-tech X-ray machines have foiled 20,000 attempts to sneak in illicit items, official figures reveal.
More than 70 have been installed across all closed male prisons in the past two years — making it easier to stop weapons, mini mobile phones and illegal substances getting into the hands of inmates.
They give sharp images of smuggled items, even when hidden in the body.
Staff at the 42 toughest nicks have also been given high-end drug-trace kit, as well as detection wands, X-ray archways and extra drugs dogs on the gates.
It has thwarted almost 20,000 attempts to smuggle contraband on to wings, including one massive haul consisting of 81 individually wrapped white rocks of crack cocaine.
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Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said: “Illicit contraband endangers our hard-working staff and thwarts the efforts of other prisoners who are serious about their rehabilitation.”
One culprit was rumbled after he swallowed four tiny mobiles.
Another was found to have drugs concealed in two plastic Kinder egg toy containers inside his body.
It follows £100million of Government tech investment to keep drugs, phones and weapons out of jails.
