GARDAÍ HAVE arrested a drugs counsellor in Mountjoy prison in Dublin after he attempted to smuggle €4,000 worth of cocaine, heroin, cannabis and steroids to two inmates he was supposed to be helping.
The man was arrested on Tuesday afternoon at the prison. He is not an employee of the Irish Prison Service, and is not a prison officer.
The Irish Times understands the man works for a community-based drugs counselling service in Dublin. His role involves visiting clients who are imprisoned and helping them give up drugs.
He had been granted permission by the prison authorities to visit two inmates in Mountjoy on Tuesday. One of the prisoners is from Blanchardstown, while the other is a drug-dealer from Tallaght who is serving five years.
The counsellor held his first visit with one of the inmates but in the course of this he was seen by a prison officer passing a parcel to the prisoner. The officer moved in and took the parcel, realising it contained drugs.
Gardaí were called to the jail, and when the counsellor was searched a second parcel was found on him.
Prison sources said they believed the second parcel was to be passed to the second inmate the counsellor was scheduled to visit.
Both parcels contained a cocktail of drugs, including cocaine, heroin, steroids and cannabis.
Prison sources said they were shocked by the range of drug types, and the near €4,000 value of the two parcels.
One source said the combination of drugs like steroids with heroin was unusual, suggesting the parcels were to be distributed among a number of inmates.
There is no indication if the arrested man acted for self-gain or if he had been pressured into bringing the drugs in.
A spokesman for the Irish Prison Service confirmed that the arrested man was being facilitated with a “professional visit” when the incident took place.
He confirmed drugs had been found, adding that the matter was now in the hands of gardaí.
The spokesman said the case highlighted the need for the new security measures currently being introduced in jails to prevent the smuggling of contraband, including drugs and mobile phones. The airport-style security measures will apply to all persons entering and exiting jails, including prison officers, and will be in place in Mountjoy by the end of May.