The central prison in Karnataka's Shivamogga saw a crackdown on narcotics on Friday. Officials seized 123 grams of marijuana and dozens of cigarettes. The incident happened when an auto driver arrived at the central jail claiming that he was delivering five sacks of bananas on the instruction of the prison canteen.
The driver left the sacks outside the gate and quickly drove away. A routine scrutiny by the prison security personnel revealed that the banana sacks had been carefully slit open. Inside them, packets of marijuana and cigarettes wrapped in gum tape were hidden.
A Second Smuggling Attempt At Prison
Even as prison officials were assessing the first smuggling attempt, an SDA staffer reporting for duty was found carrying 170 grams of marijuana, which was similarly wrapped in gum tape.
The staffer, Satwik, concealed the package under his innerwear. He was detained on the spot and handed over to the police.
READ: ISIS Recruiter, Rapist, Criminals Seen Using Phones, Watching TV Inside Bengaluru Jail
The identical method of packing, timing of events, and location have led officials to believe that the two discoveries were interconnected parts of the same smuggling plan, with the banana sacks possibly serving as the external drop, while the SDA staffer's role could have been the internal conduit meant to facilitate the final handover.
Both cases were reported to the Tunganagar Police, and formal complaints were registered under the Karnataka Prison Act and relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Police have launched a deeper investigation into whether more staff members or outsiders are involved and how long such a network may have been operating.
The Bengaluru Prison Row
This incident at the Shivamogga central jail came weeks after videos showed inmates at the Bengaluru Central Prison partying with liquor inside the premises.
READ: 4 Charged Over Viral Video Of Prisoners Dancing, Drinking In Karnataka Jail
Following the virality of the videos, the Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara announced a sweeping set of reforms and disciplinary actions.
Parameshwara said that of the five videos that surfaced online, three were from 2023 and two from this year. The videos showed inmates dancing, watching television, consuming alcohol, and using mobile phones.
