Prison guard fired for drug deals

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A former prison guard who admitted arranging drug deals into a Waikato facility with an inmate has been fired.

Perive Matuaitofiga, 25, smuggled cannabis and tobacco into Spring Hill prison in north Waikato into jail in exchange for $500 for each exchange, and another deal to supply ecstasy, TVNZ reported.

An inmate assisted the deal using a cell phone from inside prison.

Matuaitofiga was searched by security guards and caught carrying 60 grams of tobacco, more than 40 grams of cannabis and pills, One News said.

Department of Corrections central regional manager Terry Buffery said he believed the former guard was acting alone.

"Our prisoners are very manipulative people and they would want to give the officer a feeling of comfort," he said.

Green Party MP David Clendon said the case highlighted the need for an independent authority to police professional standards across Corrections.

Matuaitofiga will be sentenced in January on bribery charges.