Drugs, alcohol and mobile phones seized from van making delivery to Mountjoy Prison

Whiskey, tablets and phones.

The Irish Prison Service has confirmed that a substantial amount of contraband has been seized by the Operational Support Group (OSG) based at Mountjoy Prison. The find is believed to be the largest single seizure of contraband into an Irish Prison. The contraband, which included a substantial amount of drugs - including a large quantity of tablets - alcohol and mobile phones, has been provided to An Garda Síochána for analysis. It was seized following an intelligence-led security operation by Mountjoy Prison staff supported by the Operational Support Group which saw a search carried out on a van making a food delivery to the prison. The Irish Prison Service has commenced an investigation into the seizure and is working with An Garda Síochána in this regard. The Director General of the Irish Prison Service Caron McCaffrey said this morning’s operation was “a very significant result for Mountjoy Prison and our Operational Support Group in their efforts to prevent dangerous contraband from entering the prison”. “Given the scale of the contraband seized it is highly possible that these drugs, if they had made their way into the prison population, could have had a devastating impact on the prison population including the potential for the loss of life by overdose," he said.