Kralendijk- Justiciele Instellingen Caribisch Nederland (JICN), in charge of the prison on Bonaire, says that they have taken note of the fact that various media have reported over the last few days that a number of mobile phones and drugs had been confiscated in the penitentiary institution.

JICN says that efforts to bring contraband into the institute has traditionally and despite many efforts, always existed. According to JICN-director Wibo de Vries, a large number of security procedures for both the building, the detainees and the staff and these procedures are strictly followed. “There is continuous attention for safety, security control and regular checks, also on our staf in an effort to keep the institution as safe as possible”, according to De Vries.

The director admits that, despite their intensive efforts, a number of forbidden items was still brought into the prison complex. “Contraband is sometimes thrown over the wall from places where it cannot be seen. Often these are heavy packages with a number of phones and drugs and then the numbers go up”, says De Vries.

The prison director says that it has been established that the sabotage of a so-called container-cell, has given detainees the ability to bring certain packages into the prison. According to De Vries, this gap has now been closed.

De Vries also explains that there are always new measures implemented to stay ahead. “Access control was already sharper for visitors but also for employees. Each action taken is aimed to keep the environment as safe as possible for both the detainees and employees”, according to the JICN director.

According to De Vries, sometimes measures taken are visible but at other times not. The prison director says that as an institute, they are often not able or willing to give out details of measures taken, but assures that necessary measures have in the meantime been taken to address the issue of contraband making its way into the penitentiary institution.