PRISON DRUG TOSSING COMMON

Throwing condoms or balloons full of drugs over a six-metre wall into
the Stony Mountain Institution prison yard is becoming increasingly
common, Correctional Service of Canada said Thursday.

But it's not an effective way of delivering dope.

This year, officers at the prison have already intercepted three
packages of drugs that were tossed over the fence before the inmates
could scoop them up.

Most of them are delivered in the evening, and a weight of some kind
is usually attached to the bottom of the drug bundle to help it get
over the fence, said Correctional Service of Canada spokesman Chris McLauchlan.

In all three cases this year, the products didn't make it into
prisoners' hands. But the drug droppers got away, he said.

On Jan. 31, an officer driving around the prison observed someone
throwing a package into the prison's exercise yard, McLauchlan said.
That package had 212 grams of marijuana worth almost $17,000.

At Stony Mountain, marijuana goes for around $80 per gram because
it's difficult to smuggle in and there is a high demand for it,
McLauchlan said.

In another case on Feb. 26, a man hopped over the prison's two-metre
outer wall -- which doesn't have razor wire on the top -- ran 20
yards and threw a package full of marijuana, crack cocaine, and
ecstasy pills worth around $38,000 over the six-meter inner wall,
McLauchlan said.

In early March, an officer in a security tower saw someone trying to
throw two packages over the fence, McLauchlan said. Officers found
around $12,000 worth of marijuana, a cell phone and a blackberry near
the exercise yard's fence.

In addition to monitoring cameras and patrolling, officers at the
medium-security prison also receive an electronic alarm if something
hits the fence.

"In some cases, we've actually been there to grab the drugs as
they've been thrown," McLauchlan said. "We've arrested visitors,
we've arrested trespassers and we've put more charges on the inmates
themselves."

In 2007, officers were aware of seven packages being thrown over the
prison's fence.

Residents of Stony Mountain who see suspicious behaviour outside of
the prison can call 344-7132. Friends of an inmate who are being
pressured to throw drugs over the fence can call the tip line at 344-6000.