VICTORIA, Seychelles — Since its opening on December 24 last year, the new Persévérance detention centre has recorded an average of four seizures of illegal contraband per month. The latest incident occurred last Sunday, when several mobile phones, drugs, tools, lighters, and cigarette papers were seized during a routine search of the facility. Commissioner of Seychelles Prison Services Janet Georges revealed the information in an interview with the media yesterday morning at her office at Bois de Rose, attended by Assistant Commissioner Temoljee.
According to Mrs Georges, the operations are continuous, with a search conducted on a monthly basis at the facility, which houses remand prisoners and persons at risk. She said the actions are being carried out by people from outside the facility, who are throwing contraband over the walls, with the items landing directly in the facility’s courtyard. ‘It gives us a lot of work. It makes us think that either inside there is a phone, or there is a code they are using, or they shout to tell you to throw it,’ Mrs Georges explained.
To date, some fifteen mobile phones have been seized, with five seized in the latest Sunday incident. Prison authorities have also said they will test the drugs seized and eventually test all detainees. The Prison Services authority has warned people from outside who are carrying out these actions to stop immediately. According to Mrs Georges, the majority of them are former prisoners or remandees. ‘The people who are doing these acts, we know some of them. We have seen car hire numbers that they have used,’ she added, urging vigilance from the public.
