Contraband finds at jails on the rise

PRISONERS were caught trying to smuggle contraband including drugs, weapons, mobile phones and sim cards into jails in the Lothians as they arrived to start their sentence.

New figures released in a parliamentary answer by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill show that nine new inmates were caught with drugs at Addiewell Prison in West Lothian last year, while three had phones confiscated and five lost sim cards.

Meanwhile, at Saughton Prison, two arrivals were caught with drugs, two had weapons, and four had mobile phones.

The figure for the city jail represented a rise from 2009, when four mobile phones were the only banned items seized.

Four drugs stashes, one mobile phone, four sim cards and two weapons was the total haul for 2008, according to the figures which were drawn up by the Scottish Prison Service.