How drugs are smuggled into SA prisons

An SA Police expert report, tendered in a District Court criminal case, has lifted the lid on the secrets of jailhouse dealers and their numerous clients.

Its author – a police detective with 24 years’ experience in state, federal and undercover operations – says the “illicit drug of choice” is suboxone, an opioid withdrawal treatment.

The drug comes on comes on small strips of soluble “film” and sells for between $300 and $400 inside prisons.

In his report, the detective says the “most popular manner” of smuggling the orange strips is through intimate means.

“Strips are placed on top of one another, often inside a small balloon or wrapped in cling wrap,” he says.

“They are smuggled into a prison by a visitor and passed to a prisoner, often in a mouth-to-mouth transfer via a kiss.

“Once inside the prison, the small size of the films makes them attractive for secreting, hiding and circulating to other prisoners.

“They are secreted inside plastic bags in drains and inside cell panelling … these locations are only able to be accessed by using specific tools that turn specific bolts or screws.

“Currency in prison has various forms … access to mobile phones to watch pornographic material is valuable.”

Suboxone – known in prison as “bupe”, “strips”, “subs” or “orange” – has featured in several high-profile smuggling cases.

Moujtaba Joubouri is awaiting sentencing for smuggling suboxone with the aid of corrupt Correctional Services officer Michael Charles Asker, who was sentenced to home detention.

They hid suboxone inside food containers, while fellow smuggler Christopher John West was caught firing a strip-laden arrow over the walls of Port Augusta Prison.

Mother of four Toni Cheryl Anne Watson was caught trying to take 21 strips into Yatala Labour Prison in 2020 to clear her own drug debt.

In his report, the police detective says the price of suboxone is “inflated” within jails due to its popularity.

“Suboxone has become the illicit drug of choice for a variety of reasons (including) the increased chance of successfully introducing it into prisons,” he says.

“It is consumed via absorption and without the need for equipment such as a pipe or syringe.

“Its effects, such as sedation, drowsiness or euphoria, are more often sought after by prisoners than stimulant drugs that increase wakefulness, physical alertness and agitation.”

When Covid-19 restricted prison visits, he says, smugglers turned to “secreting” suboxone in letters to inmates or having it “thrown or dropped into prison by drones”.

Arrangements were made, he said, using the Prison Telephone System (PTS), which is monitored by authorities.

“It is common for prisoners to avoid using their personal PTSystem account to discuss offending including the supply or trafficking of controlled drugs,” he says.

“Often, a prisoner with a low profile who is believed to be less likely to have their account monitored will be identified.

“Prisoners utilise this person’s account by having them add a designated recipient to their account.

“Once the legitimate account holder makes a call, the prisoner attempting to avoid detection will take control of the phone and speak with the intended recipient.”

The detective says suboxone does not come cheap, but few inmates pay for it with cash.

“I am aware of money being transferred outside of prison into either bank accounts or sports betting accounts in lieu of drugs being provided,” he says.

“This type of process relies upon prisoners having access to an unlawful mobile phone within prison.”

“Commodities which have very little value outside of prison can be very valuable inside, and are therefore used as currency to swap for drugs.”

He said prisoners use tobacco, clean syringes and drug pipes as collateral for suboxone – unless they had access to even more desirable contraband.

“Access to mobile phones to make calls that are not monitored, to search the internet or to watch pornographic material are valuable,” he said.