MORE THAN A QUARTER OF INMATES TEST POSITIVE FOR DRUGS

More than a quarter of inmates randomly selected for drug testing at New
Zealand's largest prison, Waikeria, have tested positive.

Corrections Department figures show 28 per cent of inmates randomly tested
at Waikeria Prison in the last 12 months returned positive tests for drug use.

The figure is above the national average of 21 per cent, but Corrections
officials say the statistics are improving.

The drug testing programme in New Zealand prisons was introduced in July
1998, when 33 per cent of inmates randomly tested nationally returned
positive results.

Figures for the last 12 months show Christchurch's Rolleston Prison, the
second-largest, also had 28 per cent of inmates randomly tested return
positive results.

Meanwhile, 31 per cent of inmates randomly tested at Rimutaka Prison, the
third-largest, tested positive.

Statistically, Ohura Prison -- 50km from Taumarunui -- was worst, with 32
per cent of inmates randomly tested returning positive tests.

Corrections Department national crime prevention manager Tony Coyle said
the problem with prisons like Waikeria and Rimutaka was their sheer size,
and roads running down the middle of them made it more difficult to police
drug drop-offs by visitors, which were then picked up by inmates.

Drug dogs working for Corrections were improving the situation, he said.
Four were dedicated to searching North Island prisons, and one to the South.

Handler Maurice O'Connor and drug dog Spock police Waikeria. When the Times
visited last week, Spock is out of the van five minutes when he scores his
first hit.

A visitor in the carpark says the cannabis oil and empty snaplock bag which
had contained cannabis was not hers. The Ritalin tablets were for her son,
she tells Mr O'Connor.

Ten minutes later Spock is searching a 4WD which the man in the passenger
seat says is borrowed from a dealer.

"A dealer yeah, but what kind of dealer?" says Mr O'Connor, after Spock
makes a hit on the vehicle's console.

"You've definitely had something in here, mate," he says.

"He's a pretty skilled dude huh?" the man says, referring to Spock.

With no actual drugs to speak of, Mr O'Connor lets him off with a warning.

Mr O'Connor says a lot of prison visitors are good, but P use is increasing
and those caught are generally aggressive.

The biggest hit Spock has made -- 700 amphetamine tablets -- was in a
visitor's car.

Mr O'Connor says Spock also finds sizeable bags of cannabis dumped behind
trees and hidden where inmate work parties can pick them up.

There has been a man nabbed with methamphetamine, a sawn-off .22 rifle, a
tomahawk and a razor.

"It's like fishing. Some days you get a lot, some days none."

In the last 12 months drug dogs have searched 15,500 cars nationally, and
112 people have been arrested.

Drugs, he says, have always been part of prison.

"They want to use as much as they did on the outside. Just because they
come to prison doesn't mean they stop using, they still want to use."