Governor of Maghaberry Prison David Savage and (right) Director General of the Northern Ireland Prison Service Ronnie Armour with one of the new scanners
The high-tech scanners, which are already being used in other regions of the UK, have been described as a “game changer” by the Director General of the NI Prison Service Ronnie Armour.
Four scanners will be implemented — costing £75,000 each — with one now ‘going live’ in Maghaberry Prison and other machines planned for Magilligan Prison in Co Derry and Hydebank Wood YOC and Women’s Prison in south Belfast later this month.
The department said scanners will utilise ionising radiation in the same way as a hospital X-ray, but will use an ‘extremely low’ dose that is over 1,000 times less than a CT scan.
The scanners will show internally concealed prohibited and unauthorised articles, such as mobile phones, drugs and weapons.
Speaking at Maghaberry Prison, Mr Armour said: “Some people in our prisons are determined to traffic contraband into our establishments.
“Our fight against illegal trafficking has taken a huge step forward with the introduction of X-ray body scanners into Maghaberry, Magilligan and Hydebank.
“This technology should be seen as a deterrent to those who wish to use their bodies to bring in drugs and other illegal items into our prisons.
“This really has the potential to be a game changer. It will make our prisons safer for our staff, partner agencies and the people in our care.
“The introduction of this technology is a key recommendation from the Criminal Justice Inspector and demonstrates our determination to makes our prisons as safe as we can to facilitate our focus on rehabilitation as we challenge and support those in our care to change their behaviours.”
Maghaberry Governor David Savage added: “This technology was initially piloted in prisons in England and has recently been introduced in Scotland.
“Last year over one in 10 scans in England and Wales highlighted the presence of contraband. Experience elsewhere indicates that this technology will greatly assist prison officers in controlling the flow of drugs in our prisons.
“My message to anyone thinking of attempting to traffic contraband is simple — don’t do it, we will find it.”
In January, the UK Ministry of Justice confirmed that the same X-ray machines are being installed across 44 prisons throughout Britain in a bid to “thwart smuggling by visitors” in the way of drugs, phones and other contraband.
They have already been implemented in some high-security prisons across the nation, which have stopped nearly £40,000 worth of cannabis and tobacco concealed in curry and beef stew tins from entering prison, as well as a bottle of washing-up liquid that tested positive for heroin, the Ministry said.
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