DRUG FINDS IN JAIL INCREASE

A number of visitors were caught trying to smuggle drugs into the
Mount Prison at Bovingdon and on six occasions drugs were thrown over
the perimeter fence during the festivie period, it has energed.

Spokesman for the category C prison in Molyneaux Avenue, David
Robinson, said: "It is no big secret that there is a big problem with
drugs in jail, so every prison is a target.

"Abuse of drugs by the prisoners causes a lot of problems for them
personally and the prison, and is something that we are guarding
against all the time.

"We are taking very strenuous measures to make sure the drugs do not
get in but it's no secret that people do come up to the prison and
throw packages over the fence.

"We are very vigilant and the fact that we have caught them is a
success, there have been some visitors who have been intercepted with
drugs around Christmas."

David added: "We have taken extra measures to deter people from going
around the site's perimeter and are increasing our anti-drugs
measures all the time.

"We are acting very positively to combat drugs coming into the jail."

The Mount has writtten to Bovingdon Parish Council asking that
residents refrain from using the strip of grass around the perimeter
fence, to assist their monitoring of the area.

A Hertfordshire Constabulary spokesperson said: "It is an ongoing
thing and we work very closely with our partners at The Mount to
constantly monitor and tackle the problem.

"The prison constantly carries out targeted operations and the six
arrests made within a month is a good success."