A specialist search dog unit used at Perth Prison has led to the recovery of illegal drugs and mobile phones.
Figures provided through the Freedom of Information Act show that the Tactical Dog Operations Unit (TDOU) were involved in searches that resulted in seven incidents of drugs being found and three mobile phones seized at the Victorian-era establishment on Edinburgh Road over the 2012-13 financial year.
Prison search dogs many of which are cocker spaniels have been used for the past 20 years, with 28 in operation at the moment, including two at Perth Prison.
The dogs are used in various places in the prison, including the new visitor area and prison cells, as well as being deployed at Castle Huntly open prison.
Significant investment was made in the development of new technology and staff training to detect and deter the introduction of illegal drugs, including paraphernalia and mobile phones into Scottish prisons.
The Scottish Prison Service decided that the daily use of intelligence, tactical strategies and assessments, together with extensive use of the TDUO in targeted searches, were central to combating what was regarded as the continuous threat of illegal “commodity” to the prison environment and the community.
The Courier asked the SPS to give a breakdown of what types of drugs were found at Perth Prison but a spokesman said the findings are passed to police and as such they could not provide any more information on the seizures.
“We do endeavour to provide information whenever possible,” the SPS spokesman said. “Unfortunately, the SPS do not determine the type or category of drug recovered. All substances recovered are sent to the police who carry out the analysis.”
Prison governor Mike Inglis said he was pleased with the success of the TDOU and stressed that it is “one of a range of measures” that have been put in place over the last period, with the objective of “disrupting criminal activity” within the community and within the prison.
He said: “The dog unit has been an excellent addition to our continued commitment of making Scotland a safer place, through ensuring that HMP Perth delivers a suite of interventions to both reduce the numbers of drugs/mobile phones and to ensure appropriate supports are put in place to assist prisoners to address their substance misuse needs in partnership with NHS Tayside and other community colleagues.
“We will continue to support those prisoners who are on a recovery journey, while increasing our efforts to disrupt any individual who has cause to try and continue criminal activity while in custody.
“This again is done in partnership with community colleagues, in particular our excellent relationship with Police Scotland colleagues in Tayside.”