'Australia's dumbest crooks' try to deliver drugs to NSW prison, instead deliver themselves
Two criminals could be dubbed ‘Australia’s dumbest crooks’ after delivering themselves straight into the hands of prison guards.
7 News has been given unprecedented access to life in one of NSW’s most secure prisons, including footage of the challenges guards faced by threats outside their walls.
In one case, a pair was caught throwing packages of drugs over the walls of Wellington Correctional Centre.
While most crooks would run a mile to avoid it, these two men were filmed sprinting toward the prison.
Officers responded with their weapons drawn and busted the pair, catching them with ice, cannabis, phones and prescription drugs.
The two men are now locked up inside.
"It was broad daylight, they were very motivated and they were engaged by one of the more established criminals," General Manager of Wellington Correctional Centre Brad Peebles said.
7 News was allowed inside Wellington prison to report on the authorities’ daily battle.
"We take a zero tolerance on contraband in correctional centres... We also have our special operations group with their canine,” Prison Security Manager Craig Smith said.
BEHIND THE SCENES: INSIDE A PRISON
A razor was allegedly used as an improvised weapon in a recent attack at NSW’s Kempsey prison in which a teen ISIS supporter allegedly carved an Islamic State slogan into the forehead of a former Australian soldier.
It is a constant struggle for prison intelligence, who investigate an internal economy where everyday items can be worth thousands of dollars.
The transactions take place outside the prison gates.
“Payments are generally made through TAB accounts," Mr Smith said.
A small mobile phone worth $50 in a shop is worth $1500 in the prison, and they are usually tiny for a reason.
“If you're hiding it on your person, smaller is better," Mr Smith said.
Within the walls of the jail, prison officers need to be prepared for both criminals inside the fence and out.
"Anything can happen, we don't know what we're going into. Every day we walk in, we don't know what we're going to be responding to," another officer told 7 News.
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