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Jail searches lead to rise in seizures

Contraband: Drugs have been seized. Picture: Sharon Smith/The West Australian

Seizures of contraband including drugs, weapons and phones from criminals in WA jails have more than doubled in the past four years.

Department of Corrective Services statistics reveal 1157 contraband items were seized in WA jails last financial year, compared with 548 in 2009-2010.

The biggest increases were in drugs and weapons, which both more than trebled in the four years from 134 to 485 items and 70 to 236 items respectively.

The number of mobile phones found more than doubled from 24 to 51. There were 330 items of drug paraphernalia and 55 items of pornography uncovered last year, compared with 227 and 93 respectively in 2009-2010.

Over the same time, the average daily jail muster rose from 4759 to 5029 prisoners.

WA Prison Officers Union secretary John Welch described the big increase in seizures of weapons that could be used against prison officers as extremely worrying.

He said overcrowding had heightened security issues, which led to more intense searches and the discovery of more contraband.

Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis said the statistics showed a determined crackdown on contraband in jails was working.

Better technology such as body scanners, closer relationships with State and Federal police and better awareness of prison officers contributed to the detections.

"I am not saying more contraband is getting into prisons, I would say more is being found," Mr Francis said.

But shadow corrective services minister Paul Papalia said the increase reflected the consequences of overcrowding.

"It is more challenging for prisons to deal with so many numbers and far easier for chinks in preventative measures to be discovered by the inmates," Mr Papalia said.

A Department of Corrective Services spokesman said there was zero tolerance of contraband, a problem in jails worldwide and a real and serious threat to the safety of staff and prisoners.

The department took active steps to deter, disrupt and prevent contraband entering jails, with prisoners testing positive to drugs facing internal charges and penalties.

The spokesman said staff vigilance, better technology and improvements in security and intelligence gathering had led to more contraband being intercepted.