Drugs seized in prison crackdown

The men aged 23, 23, 32 and 41 were arrested on Sunday on suspicion of possessing cannabis. Two were bailed pending further enquiries and the others received a caution.

Twelve vehicles were searched with three being seized as they entered the prison grounds. Cannabis worth £550 was recovered.

Force drugs co-ordinator Bryan Dent said: “These operations have now been running for the past 13 months and we are seeing really positive results and have established a strong partnership with the Prisons Service.

“Drugs supply into prisons not only undermines the efforts of drugs workers, who aim to help users to break the cycle of drugs and crime, but it also impacts on the wider community if people continue to offend on release to feed their addictions.

Prison governor Andy Johnson said: “Reducing supply of drugs into prison forms an integral part of offender management and we see it as vital to rehabilitating offenders. If inmates get released who are drug-free it means they will be committing less crime.”