Prisons Commissioner concerned but not surprised over weapons find

Commissioner of Prisons Shamshudeen Mohammed says the prison service will work to introduce more stringent security measures to restrict the flow of contraband.

In the meantime, he is not surprised that including high explosives were found outside the Arouca Maximum Security Prison (MSP) on Wednesday night.

Speaking with Newsday on Thursday, Mohammed said the prison housed some of the most dangerous men in Trinidad and Tobago, who had the influence and resources to gather such weapons.

He said as of Thursday morning prison officials were assisting the police and the prison service will continue to do its part in securing its facilities.

"We have seen the criminals are going to extreme measures now in a bid to allow the escape of their people.

"As a result of that, we have also stepped up our security around the prisons. We are also partnering with other external forces in order to provide some measure of added security

"We are just as concerned as the public about this latest development but we want them to be assured that we are working very hard at our security measures to protect the nation from these hardcore criminals and gang members who choose to disrupt society."

Mohammed said the weapons were found near the prisons garden, but said the gardening programme will not be halted as a result.

"As you know, gardening is one form of rehabilitation for the inmates.

"Even before this find we had some strict security measures in place where inmates would be searched before going out into the field and searched again before they are allowed to re-enter the prison. But we have asked the officers to introduce an added layer of security to ensure that items like these don't come into the prison."

Mohammed said the prison service will follow up on "quite a few" possible leads.