A prison officer has been charged for the possession of prohibited articles at the Maximum Security Prison.

Around 5:30pm on August 28th, Prisons Officer I Perron Gomez was subjected to a routine search as he reported for duty.

He was found to be in possession of 20 packs of cigarettes.

He was charged the next day and granted $50,000 bail by a Justice of the Peace.

Gomez is now expected to appear before an Arima Magistrate on October 10th 2023.

Commenting on the case, Acting Prisons Commissioner Deopersad Ramoutar said while measures implemented to tackle the issue of trafficking by officers have proven effective, he was disappointed at how easily the perpetrators can access bail.

According to a statement by the Prison Service, the Acting Commissioner also noted that traffickers “continue to be a menace and disgrace to the organization, and should spend some time ‘locked up’, as they not only put their fellow officers’ lives at risk, but they also overshadow the phenomenal work of the dedicated officers.”

He has since reiterated his previous call for the judiciary to do more in assisting law enforcement to bring persons to justice.