Prison guards charged with smuggling contraband into jail

Mt Eden Prison. File photo / NZH

Two Auckland prison guards have today been charged with smuggling contraband into jail for inmates.

One of the men also faces a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm.

The names of the guards, aged 33 and 31 and who work at Mt Eden and Auckland Central remand prisons, were suppressed when they appeared in Auckland District Court this afternoon.

Court documents show that the 33-year-old faces six charges under the Corrections Act for allegedly taking goods into prison intending that they end up in the possession of prisoners.

Among the goods were a controlled drug, tobacco, food and a mobile phone. They were allegedly taken into prison inside wrapped plastic bags, food containers and ice cream containers, and were allegedly intended for four different prisoners.

The 31-year-old faces two charges under the Corrections Act of taking in tobacco. Both charges related to one of the four prisoners named in the co-accused's charge sheets as an intended recipient.

In addition, the 31-year-old man faces with one charge under the Arms Act of being in possession of a pistol "except for some lawful, proper and sufficient purpose".

The two guards were remanded on bail and will reappear at Auckland District Court on December 20.

They have also been stood down from their employment and will be subject to further investigation.

"These charges are the result of a long running investigation between the department's professional standards unit and police," said Corrections chief executive Barry Matthews.

Mr Matthews said that the department would be continuing its investigations and would not hesitate to investigate any staff member who was suspected of acting unethically.

- NZPA