KEY POINTS:
Banning contact visits with inmates is the best way to stamp out drug smuggling into prisons, says prison officer' union boss Beven Hanlon Mr Hanlon was commenting after the drug `P', worth around $26,000 on the blackmarket, was found during a cell search in Auckland's Mt Eden Prison.
Corrections Department northern regional manager Warren Cummins said the amount of the drug was roughly equivalent in size and weight a box of matches.
The case had been referred to police, and was now before the courts.
Corrections Association president Mr Hanlon said the `P' could have been thrown over the prison wall, though it was more likely to have been smuggled in by a person.
"One way to help prevent it being smuggled in is to stop contact visits," he told The Sunday News.
"It sounds extreme but no contact, no pass-on contraband."
- NZPA
