Second pigeon wearing tiny backpack found in B.C. prison, guards union says

A pigeon wearing a tiny empty backpack has been captured inside a federal prison in British Columbia, in what a union official says was likely another plan by inmates to smuggle drugs.
The discovery at the Matsqui prison in the Fraser Valley comes just a few months after another pigeon was captured carrying a backpack full of crystal methamphetamine at the Pacific Institution right next door.
John Randle, the Pacific regional president at the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers, says the latest pigeon's pack was made of blue jeans and bedsheets, materials easily available to inmates.
He says the pigeon was found inside the prison on Feb. 27, while the first bird was caught on prison grounds.
Randle says there's an elementary school close by and pigeons smuggling drugs are a real concern, especially if one lands at the wrong place.
He says that after the backpack was removed in the latest incident, the bird was released “completely unharmed.”
“We are working with the local police because we control what happens inside the fence, but this one here has the potential to have an impact outside of the fence, on the general public as well,” said Randle.
In addition to watching out for pigeons carrying backpacks, Randle said correctional officers are also on high alert for drones.
“Our vigilance and our diligence as far as searching is really high right now and really trying to stop this stuff getting in the jails,” said Randle.
Randle said officers are pushing the federal agency Correctional Services of Canada to “step in” and “start taking things seriously” because it's getting more frequent for people to seek different ways to smuggle drugs into the prison.
Police in Abbotsford said they're investigating the latest pigeon pack.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Officials: 2 dead, 5 missing in chocolate factory explosion
An explosion at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania on Friday killed two people and left five people missing, authorities said. One person was pulled from the rubble overnight.

Putin says Russia will station tactical nukes in Belarus
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans on Saturday to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus, a warning to the West as it steps up military support for Ukraine.
Risk of a hard landing for Canadian economy is up, former Bank of Canada governor says
Former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz says Canada’s economy is at a greater risk of a 'hard landing' — a rapid economic slowdown following a period of growth and approaching a recession.
Canadians view own country favourably but many unsure about Canada's system of government: survey
A recent study by the Angus Reid Institute found Canadians view their country more positively than Americans do, but only a slight majority of people in Canada believe their system of government is good.
Declining suicide rates in Europe may be linked to increased preventative initiatives: report
Within the last decade the total suicide rate among European nations have decreased, according to a new report that says increased suicide prevention initiatives may have helped bring down this death rate.
Russia 'largely stalled' in Bakhmut, shifting focus, U.K. says
The top commander of Ukraine's military said Saturday that his forces were pushing back against Russian troops in the long and grinding battle for the town of Bakhmut, and British military intelligence says Russia appears to be moving to a defensive strategy in eastern Ukraine.
Trump invokes Jan. 6 at Waco rally ahead of possible charges
A defiant and incendiary Donald Trump, facing a potential indictment, held the first rally of his 2024 presidential campaign Saturday in Waco, Texas, a city made famous by deadly resistance against law enforcement.
'Everything is interwoven': Trudeau and Biden vow continued Canada-U.S. collaboration during historic visit
U.S President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have announced updates on a number of cross-border issues, after a day of meetings on Parliament Hill.
Asylum seeker deal between U.S. and Canada won't stop drama at border, advocates say
About a dozen asylum seekers hoping to start a new life in Canada saw their plans hit a snag on Saturday afternoon when they learned an unofficial crossing between the Canadian and U.S. border no longer offered the safe passage they'd come to expect.