Authorities at the Ankaful Maximum Prisons in the Central Region have arrested a prisons officer for attempting to smuggle substance suspected to be Indian hemp into the facility.

The suspect whose name has been withheld pending further investigation is said to be of the rank of a Senior Inspector.

He was arrested last night that January 6 around 7:50pm during the service’s routine check on officers who are reporting for night duties.

The substance was concealed in a creamy mosquito repellent container at the point of the arrest.

The heaviness of the said cream container aroused the suspicion of the inspection officers at the prison gate who decided to look at the content resulting in the revealing of the concealed contraband product hidden under the container.

Speaking to Starr News Central Regional Correspondent Kwaku Baah-Acheamfour, the Public Relations Officer for the Ankaful Prisons DSP Daniel Matchator explained that the suspect explains he bought the cream on his way to work ostensibly to ward off mosquito bites and was not aware that the content of the cream was narcotic.

He explained that the said officer has been handed over to the Elmina Police for further investigation since it involves the issue of narcotics.

DSP Matchator advised service personnel to desist from smuggling narcotics and other prohibited substances into the prisons as the service will not shield such characters when arrested.

“Last year some officers were dismissed from the service over similar offenders while another was jailed 13-years for attempting to smuggle drugs into the prison and the service will not protect such persons when arrested and so they should put an end to such negative acts. We must be professional in helping to reform inmates and not make their lives worse than when they came here” he stated.

He also admonished the public to desist from being used as conduits for smuggling such prohibited products into the prisons as adequate security measures exist to arrest them for prosecution.

“They should not allow people to entice them with money to attempt smuggling such items into the prisons as they will be arrested if they try and the punishment will be more than the amount paid them and so they should stay away from being enticed into such unhealthy attempts which will ultimately jeopardize their future” he added.

He stressed that the service is committed to reforming inmates and the public should assist in achieving such objectives and not place hindrances in their way by staying away from attempting to smuggle banned substances into the prisons which will adversely affect the lives of the inmates in the long run.