— for smuggling contraband into Lusignan Prison

THREE workers attached to Cevons Waste Management Disposal service were busted Thursday morning when they tried to smuggle cigarettes and marijuana into the Lusignan Prison.

Police said at 10:45hrs on Thursday, law enforcement officers acting on information conducted a search on a vehicle owned by the waste disposal service shortly before it entered the “Old Compound” of the Lusignan Prison.

During the search, ranks found a haversack containing in excess of 860 grams of cannabis and two cartons of cigarettes.

Police Press Officer, Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan, said the driver and two porters, one being a female, were searched and 24 grams of cannabis was found in the driver’s pants pocket.

The 25-year-old driver of Middle Walk, Buxton, East Coast Demerara; the 26- year-old male porter of Russel Street, Charlestown, Georgetown; and the 32-year- old female of ‘C’ Field Reserve, Sophia, are in custody assisting with the investigation.

Prisons Director Gladwyn Samuels confirmed the bust. He said the workers were in the compound to conduct waste-disposal services.

The Guyana Chronicle was told that the prison authorities will now investigate whether this was an ongoing scheme by service providers of the prisons.

Inmates housed at the Lusignan Prison have been restless over the last few weeks, when several of them were transferred from the Camp Street facility to that location following the July 9, 2017 fire that destroyed the Georgetown Prison.

Only last week, 13 inmates escaped from Lusignan. Most of them have since been recaptured.