DRUGS SMUGGLED INTO TORONTO JAIL IN CANTEEN PACKAGE

Jail Guards Seeking Return Of Sniffer Dogs, Increased Searches

Correctional officers are calling for drug-sniffing dogs and extra
staff to search parcels after drugs were smuggled into a Toronto jail
last weekend.

The drugs were brought into the Toronto East Detention Centre in
cigarette packages delivered to inmates through a weekly canteen
service, said Barry Scanlon, a correctional officer and union leader.

An employee of the canteen company has been charged for attempting to
smuggle the drugs, he said.

Yesterday, jail employees picketed outside the Toronto West Detention
Centre demanding higher security.

"It is a very dangerous thing. Not only can drugs come in - which are
dangerous enough on their own - but we could also have other weapons
and contraband brought in," Scanlon said at the protest.

The Minister of Correctional Services, Rob Sampson, would not comment
on the weekend incident because the matter is before the courts.

But Sampson said he is looking into beefing up security. "We take any
presence of contraband in the institution quite seriously," Sampson
said.

"If the staff are calling for increased surveillance of potential
contraband in institutions, that's actually something I'm looking at
right now."

Late last year, the province gave the contract for all canteen
services to Aramark Industries, a private U.S. company. In the past, a
variety of smaller private companies have supplied the items bought by
inmates.

The canteen service allows inmates to buy goods such as personal
hygiene items, snack food and cigarettes.

"What we want the government to do is take some action to give us some
protection from these items coming in," Scanlon said.

"There's always some risk of these items coming in, in any system, but
there are no safeguards that we know of in place."

In the past, dogs trained to sniff out drugs rotated through all
Ontario jails, Scanlon said.

"We want the dogs back in right away to start addressing the drug
problems," he said.

The jails still have access to dogs through the Ontario Provincial
Police and prison supervisors bring them in when necessary, Sampson
said. But he would not say how or when the dogs are used because it
would jeopardize security.

About 7,500 inmates are housed in Ontario jails and purchase about $5
million in items through the canteen service each year.