Contraband with institutional value of more than $220,000 seized from B.C. prison
Thousands of dollars' worth of contraband was seized from a B.C. prison over the weekend, Correctional Service Canada says.
CSC said staff seized two packages and other unauthorized items from Kent Institution, a maximum-security prison in Agassiz, on Saturday. The seizure included 355 grams of THC shatter, 48 grams of THC, unidentified pills, syringes, tobacco, a ceramic knife tip, a hacksaw blade and three cellphones.
Officials estimate the institutional value of all the items seized is about $223,410.
Authorities estimate "institutional value" based on multiple factors, but it generally reflects the fact that contraband items have a greater monetary value inside a prison than they do on the street.
"Each institution's values will vary, as they depend on the regional or local jurisdiction's trends, including drug prices," said Kent Institution assistant warden Kim MacPherson in an email to CTV News earlier this year.
"Additionally, an institution’s security level can also be a factor which will affect the institutional value of contraband and unauthorized items."
CSC said it uses "a number of tools" to prevent drugs from getting into institutions, like ion scans and drug-detector dogs.
"CSC is heightening measures to prevent contraband from entering its institutions in order to help ensure a safe and secure environment for everyone," a statement from the agency says.
"CSC also works in partnership with the police to take action against those who attempt to introduce contraband into correctional institutions."
In this most recent incident, police were notified and Kent Institution is investigating.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Ian Holliday
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.