Prison officer found outside Golden Grove prisons with 9,000 cigarettes

A 52-YEAR-OLD prison officer was arrested and later released after being found with a large quantity of alcohol, cigarettes, cellphone accessories and groceries in his car near the prison he was assigned to on Tuesday afternoon.

Police said members of the Northern Division Task Force Intelligence Unit received information at around midday and went to the Golden Grove prison, Arouca, where they intercepted the officer, who was driving his silver Subaru.

Police searched the car and found 32 cell phones, 23 cell phone chargers, 19 headsets, 9,690 cigarettes, 80 lighters, 350 rolls of hemp, ten bottles of alcohol and a variety of grocery items.

Police went to the officer's Gasparillo home and searched his house but found nothing illegal. Investigators said the prison officer was arrested and released pending further enquiries.