KRALENDIJK – The introduction of prohibited items into correctional facilities has been made officially punishable in the Dutch Caribbean. Persons who are guilty of this, can therefore be prosecuted. This is announced by the communication department of the Rijksdienst.

The BES Criminal Code makes it possible to criminally prosecute persons who try to bring in contraband. The Justitiële Inrichting Caribisch Nederland (JICN) is now enforcing this law more strictly and will from now on report people who try to smuggle in prohibited goods.

Order and safety

In judicial institutions not only objects that are not allowed in free society, such as weapons and drugs, are prohibited. Certain objects, the possession of which is not illegal outside the institution, may also be prohibited in correctional facilities. These are objects whose possession or use would endanger order and security within the facility. Examples include telephones, tools and information carriers such as USB sticks. 

The possession of these prohibited items in the institution increases the risk that offenders will continue to act in a criminal manner during their sentence or measure. Moreover, it stands in the way of a good reintegration of detainees. According to the National Office’s letter, strictly enforcing the penalization of bringing contraband into the institution would further discourage individuals from bringing contraband for detainees.