From shivs to a broken drone, here's a list of contraband recently seized from a maximum-security prison in B.C.
Corrections officials released a list Friday of a variety of contraband and unauthorized items they say were seized from a maximum-security prison in B.C. recently.
Among the items uncovered at Kent Institution, located in Agassiz, are what Correctional Service Canada described as "stabbing weapons," as well as the remnants of at least one broken drone.
Some of the contents included in a list released Friday have yet to be determined, following an analysis from the RCMP, but of those items known, the estimated value inside the prison is $48,000.
Most of the items were found in searches this month.
Specific details of how the items were located were not provided, but CSC said its staff use tools including ion scanners and drug-detecting dogs in their searches of institutions, inmates and visitors.
According to CSC, its officers found:
- Unidentified contents, sent to RCMP for identification, on May 19;
- One ounce of TCH butter, a bail of tobacco, four USB readers, four Chatr SIM cards and four micro SIM cards on June 27;
- Fifty-two nicotine patches and 3.5 grams of marijuana on July 16;
- Two cellphones, two "stabbing weapons," 30 grams of crystal methamphetamine (meth), and "remnants of an unmanned air vehicle" on July 17;
- Remnants of drone on July 20;
- One bale of tobacco, two grams of marijuana, 15 grams of crystal meth, 27.9 grams of shatter, two micro SD charges and 15 grams of "unidentified powder" on July 22; and
- Ten grams of cocaine, 41 grams of crystal meth and four packages of "butter product" on July 27.
The discovery of these items is not particularly unusual.
CSC issued a news release in July 2020 saying someone had been arrested after trying to smuggle drugs and SIM cards into Kent institution in a backpack.
Five "handmade stabbing weapons," often referred to as shivs, were seized last August during a sweep of the federal prison.
Each time an incident was reported publicly, CSC said it was "heightening measures" to stop contraband from entering Canadian prisons.
An update in the spring of 2019 came with the same promise of heightened measures, following the seizure of more than $86,000 worth of contraband, including a drone.
Friday's message too came with an assurance that CSC was taking steps to prevent these items from being smuggled in. The paragraph in the latest news release was identical to the phrasing used in a news release in 2019.
It appears that despite the CSC's "heightening measures," and despite a telephone tip line for the public to report smuggling efforts, these unauthorized items are still reaching Canadian inmates.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.