Bags of wine gets visitors thrown out of prison

Northland Region Corrections Facility (NRCF) staff were astounded by the behaviour of four visitors to the Corrections Facility this week when they found visitors drinking in the car park.

“At approximately 3.30 in the afternoon staff were informed that members of the public had been found drinking alcohol in the external visitor’s car park,” says Acting Prison Manager Chris Gisler.

Staff made their way to the external visitors car park where they found two adult males and two adult females drinking. All four adults were then kept under the supervision of Corrections Officers.

“Staff conducted a search of the vehicle and a quantity of alcohol was found. It consisted of two bags of white wine and a box of bottled beer.”

“It is unbelievable that people think they can consume alcohol at a prison. Whilst we are used to dealing with difficult offenders it is always a little surprising when visitors demonstrate this sort of behaviour. Drinking casks of wine on prison grounds is really quite dumb.”

Once discovered staff members alerted a drug dog handler. A drug dog was deployed to search the vehicle and gave an indication at the front centre of the car. Another search of the vehicle was conducted and no contraband apart from alcohol was found.

When questioned the visitors stated there were no drugs in the vehicle but that there may have been earlier. All admitted to ownership and drinking of the alcohol. The reason they gave for being at the Corrections Facility was that they were waiting for the driver of the vehicle who was attending a visit.

The four were informed that alcohol was not allowed on Prison grounds and with their co-operation a large amount of alcohol was disposed of. The driver of the vehicle who was in the visits room was instructed to return to her vehicle and all five were then issued with an exclusion notice and instructed to exit the Facility.

ENDS

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