Federal prisons are seizing far more illegal drugs now than when Parliament passed legislation meant to keep institutions drug-free, with the number of confiscations rising 169% since 2015.Blacklock's Reporter says a Department of Public Safety briefing note says seizures increased from 2,444 in 2015 to 6,586 in 2023, with wardens blaming drone deliveries for much of the rise. “Drones in particular are seen as an emerging risk due to their increasing capabilities and decreasing costs,” the document said, noting they are being used for smuggling, creating diversions and covert surveillance.The Drug-Free Prisons Act, passed in 2015, required addiction awareness programs and allowed parole to be cancelled for inmates who failed drug tests. .At the time, critics argued it was unrealistic to expect any prison to be entirely drug-free, pointing to data showing 12% of inmates failed routine testing.The May 20 briefing note said recent measures include full-body scanners at all federal prisons, approved by cabinet last October, and cellphone jamming authorized in March. While officials declined to share details on where or how the technology will be used, they expressed confidence that “further technological innovations” combined with the vigilance of front-line staff would improve results.Access to Information records show some prisons have documented dozens of drone drops worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in contraband within a year, prompting lockdowns and RCMP investigations in some cases.
