XN000022-1973-05-23 — Page 18

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Wednesday, May 23, 1973

MEASURES TO STOP SMUGGLING DRUGS INTO PRISON

The government is taking and will continue to impose every

measure possible to stop the smuggling of drugs into prisons and to

stamp out the clandestine manufacture of crude weapons from sharpened

pieces of material used in prison workshops,

The Hon. Colonial Secretary, Sir Hugh Norman-Walker gave a

further assurance in Legislative Council that this problem was a matter

the Government took very seriously.

"Increased searches in recent months have resulted in the

discovery of a quantity of such weapons, and additional measures have

been imposed to check the movement of these materials inside the prison,"

he said.

He pointed out that contrary to much recent speculation, the

problem of drug trafficking is confined mainly to the Victoria Reception

Centre and Stanley Prison.

"There has been no case of smuggling of fire-arms into prisons

for may years,

"Sir Hugh added.

The whole problem, in addition to several others which were

highlighted by the recent prison disturbances, are at prosont under the closest

examination by the government.

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