DRUGS THROWN INTO JAIL

Tennis ball filled with narcotics and the smallest models of mobile phones
are being thrown over the walls of Swedens prisons. This is the latest way
for inmates to smuggle ever increasing quantities of drugs into jail.

Despite half of all inmates being drug abusers, very little of the drugs
smuggled in are seized.

The drugs problem is on its way to overpowering the Swedish Prisons authority.

In Haga, part of the Hall institute, nine out of ten prisoners are drug
abusers. In the Hallby Institute outside Eskilstuna it is estimated that
sefven out of ten abuse narcotics.

In a questionnaire sent to all prisons, staff in a quarter of
establishments reported that they had problems with drugs "just about every
day".

Drugs have been finding their way into prisons for years. They have been
smuggled in by visitors in, for example, tubes of fish roe, decorative
flower bouquets and by prisoners returning from leave of absence with drugs
hidden in body cavities and in swallowed condoms.

Even 'throw ins', which has become a term in criminal care, has been
occouring for a long time. Mostly it has been filled tennis balls that have
come flying over the walls. In later times even mobile phones have gained
entry this way.

Mobile phones have never been allowed in prisons. Even ordinary telephone
calls are surrounded by restrictions. Prisoners have a few 'permitted'
numbers that are dialed for them by warders.

But all to often the call 'home to mum' has been re-routed to a drug
dealer. Since the new year all re-routed calls have been disconnected
because of this.

The new restrictions have increased the need for small, discrete, mobiles.
Already at the beginning of the 1990's the first one was found lying on the
ground inside prison walls.

The mobiles make it easy for for imprisoned drug abusers to talk discretely
with a pusher standing outside the prison walls who is standing at the
ready to do a "throw in".

Big time dealers serving time can look after their affairs outside via
mobile phones. An inmate in Norrtalje prison was recently sentenced to
eight further years for serious narcotics offences. His communication to
the outside world was accomplished by means of a smuggled mobile phone.

"Throw ins have increased," says Goran Landin, responisble for security at
the Hallby institute, well aware that the majority of thrown in tennis
balls never come to his knowledge.

"We have found numerous mobile phones lying on the ground during summer and
fall and a month ago we found a tennis ball containing 20 grammes of
cannabis during a routine control," says Goran Landin.

Those who succeed in bringing in a large amount without being discovered
can do good business as prices are double those of the outside.

Even in the Norrtalje intitute mobiles have been found in the grounds and
in cells.

"The more we try to limit prisoners contact with te outside, the more
inventive they become," says Per-Goran Borstell, security chief at the
institute.

Mobiles that come over the walls are wrapped in cloth or paper and wound
with tape. Often they are in a little packet together with a few batteries
for weight.

"Once I found a packet attached to a stick that acted as a shock absorber"
recounts Per-Goran Borstell.

Gunnar Engstrom, one time institute chief at the Hall institute and now
adviser to the Criminal Care Authority, was invoved in the descision a few
years ago to build a fence 30-40 metres outside the walls of Haga prison to
prevent throw ins.

"We had two prisoners endagered because of overdoses and were forced to do
something. The fence, together with camera surveillance round the entire
wall had an immediate effect. We have not had any throw ins there for along
time."

A little light in the darkness. But Gunnar Engstrom is uneasy. He leads a
newly formed group whose job it is to come to grips with the increasing
narcotics abuse in prisons.

"We must find counter measures, and fast," he says.