Prison officer arrested, suspected cannabis found in his bulletproof vest

Suspected cannabis seized by police

A 26-year-old prison officer was arrested today after police discovered more than 500 grams of suspected cannabis at the Mazaruni Prison.
Police said the officer, of Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara, was detained around 06:45 hrs following the discovery during a morning briefing in the prison compound.
Investigations revealed that a search was carried out after the officer’s bulletproof vest appeared bulky. The search, conducted in his presence, uncovered a transparent parcel containing leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis concealed in the vest. The substance was handed over to police and weighed 474.6 grams.
Further enquiries led to a search of the suspect’s living quarters within the prison compound. There, officers found an additional black parcel containing a transparent package with leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis on his bed. That quantity weighed 27.6 grams.
In total, 502.2 grams of suspected cannabis were seized. The suspect and the narcotics were escorted to the Bartica Police Station, where the cannabis was lodged.
The prison officer remains in custody as investigations continue.