National Security Minister Edmund Dillon and Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi were on hand on Wednesday night to witness a search of the Port-of-Spain prison which yielded a number of illegal items, including about 39 cellphones and several rounds of ammunition, Communication Minister Maxie Cuffie said yesterday.
Security sources said the search was a surprise undertaking due to intelligence concerning a possible jailbreak over the upcoming Carnival weekend.
During a “lockdown” of the Frederick Street prison items found included the cellphones which were said to be new, three rounds of ammunition and a shell. The items were reportedly found in walls, the roof and parts of areas used for toilets in the prison compound.
The search lasted into the early hours of yesterday with both Dillon and Al-Rawi on hand.
Searches were also conducted at the Golden Grove Remand Prison. Last weekend a similar lockdown was done at the Port-of-Spain prison due to claims of an impending jailbreak. In that exercise, the prison was evacuated and a detailed search yielded improvised weapons, cellphones, cigarettes and other contraband items.
Security has been heightened at various facilities in recent weeks since gang rivalry escalated at the start of the year.
Other government officials said since the appointment of Minister in Ministry National Security Dennis Moses and Parliamentary Secretary Glenda Jennings-Smith, Dillon is now free to undertake “hands-on” efforts “on the ground” where direct interaction with agencies and various types of exercises, like yesterday’s prison search, may arise. —Gail Alexander)