Six people, including a Rimutaka prison manager, have been arrested following a joint police and Corrections Department cannabis operation in Wellington.
The joint investigation ended on Friday with the execution of search warrants at Rimutaka Prison and a number of addresses in Wellington City and the Hutt Valley.
Police say one of the six arrested is a male member of the Department of Corrections who faces cannabis cultivation and supply charges.
Police say they received information in April from Corrections that indicated there were a number of people involved in supplying cannabis to inmates in Rimutaka Prison.
Detective Senior Sergeant Thomson says police we were able to investigate a number of people who were allegedly in the early stages of setting up a cannabis growing and supply operation.
"For the past month we have been working closely with Corrections which has enabled police to be very effective in disrupting this syndicate," Thomson says.
The six arrested will be charged with more than 20 offences relating to cannabis supply, cultivation and conspiracy.
They will appear in the Wellington District Court over the next week.
Thomson says it's an excellent example of inter agency co-operation that has enabled police to move quickly and effectively.
"We believe the supply of cannabis was intended for Rimutaka
Inmates and the wider drug community."
Corrections Chief Executive Barry Matthews says the charges send a
strong signal that such behaviour will not be tolerated in New
Zealand prisons.
He says any kind of illegal activity cannot be tolerated in prisons
and he expects a high level of honesty and integrity from
staff.
"The actions of one person should not detract from the hard work,
dedication and professionalism shown by staff at Rimutaka Prison
and across the country."
Meanwhile, Corrections Minister Judith Collins is seeking answers, saying she has asked Matthews to provide her with a report on the matter.
However she is praising the department for getting police involved so quickly when it realised there was a problem at the prison.
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