British Columbia prison officials seized multiple packages containing cannabis concentrates worth around CAD $70,000 on the perimeter of Mountain Institution, a medium-security prison in Agassiz, last week. The announcement came in the same week that Correctional Service Canada shared data on its success in countering drone smuggling at prisons.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, CSC confirmed that the packages contained high-value cannabis concentrates intended for smuggling into the prison system. Officials stated:
“The institutional value of contraband seized in prisons is determined by multiple internal factors and can change over time… [but] is always higher than their value in the outside community.”
Local law enforcement was alerted, and an investigation is ongoing.
This development came alongside data shared in a statement by CSC Commissioner Anne Kelly, which highlights the increasing issue of drone use in prison smuggling operations. Between January 1 and June 30 this year, Canadian prisons recorded 290 drone incidents, a surge that has pushed CSC to fully equip federal institutions with anti-drone detection systems.
Kelly noted that detection measures have led to the identification of 98 percent of unauthorised drone entries during this period, helping to counteract a surge in smuggling incidents. Commissioner Kelly commented:
“All federal institutions are now equipped with various drone detection systems, which are producing positive results.”
The commissioner’s statement further added that CSC continues its collaboration with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to explore innovative solutions to counteract smuggling attempts.
