The Methods of Illicit Substance Infiltration and Contraband Trafficking within Prisons
Illicit substances, intoxication, and dependence are prevalent everyday occurrences in German penitentiaries. The consumption of novel designer drugs is notably increasing among the inmate population, as reported by a previous prison administrator. This rise in use is partly due to a cunning smuggling strategy.
Disco beats, alcohol-fueled frenzies, and inmates under the influence: In June, inmates at JVA Meppen prison produced videos exposing misconduct. A detainee confessed, "it's simpler to obtain drugs within prison than outside," adding, "you can always find something being offered." However, this prison in Lower Saxony is not an exception, intoxication and addiction are commonplace across German penitentiaries.
According to the German Observatory for Drugs and Drug Addiction (DBDD), close to 20 percent of inmates in open prisons had a substance abuse problem upon admission in 2022. Meanwhile, in closed facilities, this statistic rose to 44 percent. Among male inmates, combined substance abuse (27 percent) and cannabinoids (25 percent) were the most frequent issues, whereas female inmates often struggled with opioids (30 percent).
In recent years, novel psychoactive substances (NPS), also known as "legal highs," have been on the rise in German penitentiaries. The Ministry of Justice reported a staggering 109 cases of NPS detection in North Rhine-Westphalian prisons during the first half of 2024 - a significant increase from the entire 2023 count (106 cases). Experts attribute this surge to the ease at which synthetic substances can be illicitly smuggled into prisons using a clever deception.
Drug-laced letter sheets
Unlike substances like heroin, cocaine, or cannabis, NPS are colorless and odorless and can be conveyed in liquid form. Norbert Henke, a former prison administrator with 31 years of experience, explains in an ntv.de interview, "if a friend or relative sends a letter to an inmate and drips liquid drugs onto the paper, it's almost impossible to detect during inspections." The paper is then torn into small sections and merged with tobacco, creating homemade cigarettes or pipes.
"The substances typically exert a much more potent effect than cannabis or other conventional drugs and are often overused," toxicologist Nadine Schäfer from the Institute of Legal Medicine at the University of the Saarland in Homburg discloses. A JVA Meppen inmate describes an overdose in his video, "you take it and then you become incapacitated." Furthermore, NPS possess an "exaggerated addictive potential." An inmate remarks, "people are wandering around here like zombies."
To combat the issue with synthetic substances, specialized scanners are being integrated into an increasing number of German prison facilities. Prison staff apply wipe samples with a test strip and receive a result from the detector within mere seconds. The device is connected to a database of the Rhineland-Palatinate justice system, which catalogs various NPS.
"Surprise Easter egg in the anal area"
However, drug-laced paper is not the only way drugs infiltrate prisons. Prison visits represent a significant weakness, claims Henke: "visitors and inmates sit face to face in most prisons and are usually only allowed brief physical contact during greetings and farewells. Nevertheless, drugs can be covertly exchanged during these encounters."
Visitors undergo thorough inspections beforehand, but only pat-downs and metal detector checks are legally permitted. Inspection of body orifices like the mouth is forbidden. Nevertheless, introducing substances and objects into one's own body is a popular means of smuggling, employed by both visitors and inmates.
The former prison administrator recalls an "extreme incident" involving an investigative prisoner who had a "surprise Easter egg filled with drugs in his anal area." Larger objects, such as mobile phones, can also be transported this way.
Thrown Projectiles, Slingshots, Drones
Transporting drugs or other contraband over the outer prison walls is also a widely used strategy. Packages are either hurled by hand or propelled over utilizing a slingshot. Transportation by flying drones is also feasible. The targets of these actions are usually the prison courtyards, where inmates are permitted to stay for an hour daily, providing them an opportunity to retrieve thrown packages. However, since the courtyards are secured before each hourly allotment, these endeavors are seldom successful, according to Henke.
Corrupt Prison Personnel
Incidents of prison staff participating in prohibited transactions are not uncommon. Correctional officers may be swayed by the promised monetary incentives from the ringleaders, or they may be coerced by inmates who have discovered their errors in service.
Drugs can be introduced into prisons through workshops. Many inmates work in prison-owned enterprises like carpentry or locksmithing, so the institutions receive regular supplies of work materials through truck deliveries. Through corrupt staff, these institutions may represent a security loophole, according to Henke.
Since such transactions between staff and inmates are highly perilous for both parties, they infrequently occur. Throughout his 30-year career as a prison administrator, Henke has encountered only one instance of a correctional officer involved in drug transactions within prison.
"Drug dogs are of limited effectiveness"
If substances manage to elude security checks behind the prison walls, it is further demonstrated why NPS are escalating in popularity within prisons. The cells of inmates are frequently inspected, often with the assistance of drug-sniffing dogs. However, these dogs are ineffective in locating "legal highs," according to Henke, because "you cannot train dogs to detect all 'legal highs' as their compositions constantly evolve."
Directly speaking, the sniffer dogs don't have a significant impact, but they do serve as a warning: "As soon as the first bark echoes, the toilets in the cells start flushing." Ultimately, they are just "a crude instrument" in identifying and tackling New Psychoactive Substances (NPS).
Advocates for Stricter Segregation
To effectively manage the drug issue in German prisons, Henke advocates for a stricter separation of inmates with and without substance abuse problems. This could lead to improved care and support for inmates, as well as more robust security and oversight of the facilities.
Requirements for Implementation
This would necessitate, first and foremost, more and smaller prisons, along with significantly more staff. Henke is optimistic, stating, "It will certainly cost a lot of money, but in the long run, it will prove beneficial." However, it's also undeniable that the consumption of intoxicants in prison can't be entirely eradicated: "There's no drug-free prison."
Support from Europe
The Council of Europe also endorses the concept of smaller prison facilities. According to a statement from Brussels, this could lead to "better social integration and a lower recidivism rate."
Prison-Brewed Alcohol
Illegal drugs and "legal highs" aren't the only substances consumed in prisons. Alcohol is also prevalent, but not smuggled in; instead, it's made on-site by the inmates. Bread pieces or other yeast-containing food waste are placed in bottles with fruit juice, initiating fermentation after a few days.
Henke reveals that this method of producing alcohol has been used in German prisons for some time. However, the end product is barely drinkable and "smells horrible." "It's a terrible drink, but it's alcohol nonetheless."
Inmates often struggle with addiction even after serving their time, as reported by the German Observatory for Drugs and Drug Addiction (DBDD). The prevalence of substance abuse among inmates upon admission was close to 20% in open prisons and 44% in closed facilities in 2022.
Despite the measures taken to prevent drug smuggling, such as using specialized scanners and pat-downs, the issue of addiction among inmates continues to persist. Drug-laced letters, visits with drug-laden visitors, and even creative methods like concealing drugs in the anal area have been reported as means of drug smuggling.
