scores of illegal drugs have been discovered in prison cells across West Yorkshire, the YEP can reveal.
Heroin, cannabis, crack and ampthemine were found on prisoners or in cells during routine searches.
Prison officers at HMP Leeds made 50 seizures of drugs during searches at the male category B jail in just two years. The haul included cocaine, heroin and subutex – an alternative to methadone to treat heroin addiction.
At least 12 people were arrested, charged or prosecuted in relation to drug taking, supply or in connection with drugs inside in HMP Leeds between September 2010 and August 2012.
After its last inspection in March 2010, the Armley prison faced criticisms over its drug problems.
The inspectors’ report said: “The level of illicit drug use was high, and there was insufficient attention to supply-reduction.”
More than a quarter of prisoners told inspectors it was easy to get hold of drugs inside and 12 per cent said they’d developed an addiction while they were inside.
Similar searches at Wetherby’s Young Offender’s Institute discovered 35 traces of drugs on prisoners or during routine searches – 16 of those finds were cannabis and officers also discovered crack.
Two people were arrested, charged or prosecuted in relation to drug taking, supply or in connection with drugs inside the juvenile prison between September 2010 and August 2012.
Seven people were arrested, charged or prosecuted in relation to drug taking, supply or in connection with drugs in HMP Wealstun in two years.
Chief Inspector of Prisons Nick Hardwick said the Thorp Arch prison had a serious drug problem in a report published earlier this year and almost half of the prisoners said drugs were easy to obtain.
Drug use and the debt associated with it was a significant factor in the high levels of bullying and violence in the prison. But searches over the last two years revealed two finds of unknown drugs and one find of unprescribed medicine.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “These successful seizures show our rigorous security measures are working. We take this issue extremely seriously and staff work hard to keep all prohibited items out of prisons.”
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