Contraband seized during raids at Central Prisons

Prison authorities in Cyprus conducted early morning raids in wing 8A of the Central Prisons, resulting in the seizure of four mobile phones and a small quantity of narcotics. The confiscated items have been handed over to the police and the Drug Law Enforcement Unit (YKAN) for forensic examination. Officials are currently investigating how the contraband entered the facility. In a separate operation, police searched another wing earlier that morning but found no illicit items. Despite the implementation of a signal detection system and the criminalization of mobile phone possession for inmates, visitors, and staff since December, smuggling remains a persistent challenge. The prison administration identifies the high demand from inmates for external communication as the primary driver of this issue. Consequently, black market prices for mobile phones inside the facility remain extremely high.