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BRISBANE - A woman has been arrested after allegedly trying to smuggle drugs into a Queensland prison in her bra.
Corrective Services Minister Judy Spence today said a 25-year-old Acacia Ridge woman had been charged after allegedly attempting to smuggle 11 balloons filled with a white powder into Woodford Correctional Centre, north of Brisbane, about 1.30pm (AEST) yesterday.
She faces one count of supplying a dangerous drug within a correctional centre.
"When the visitor was being searched she removed from her bra 11 small water balloons containing what appeared to be crushed tablets and handed them to detectives," Ms Spence said.
"The substance has now been handed over to police for testing at the John Tonge Centre."
She said authorities believed the powder was Subutex, which can be used to treat opiate addiction by preventing symptoms of withdrawal from heroin and other opiates.
She said if the powder was Subutex, it could be worth up to A$22,000 ($26,000) in a prison.
The find should be a message for those who had thought about smuggling drugs into a prison, she said.
"We have intelligence officers, electronic drug detection instruments and one of the largest drug detection dog squads in Australia," she said.
"The message is simple: If you attempt to smuggle drugs or other contraband into our prisons, you will be caught, you will be prosecuted and you may end up doing jail time yourself."
- AAP
