Irish prison locked down amid raid as huge haul of almost 40 phones, drugs and weapons seized

The Irish Prison Service has seized almost 40 phones, drugs and weapons following a lockdown raid at Wheatfield Prison in Dublin on Thursday evening. 

An intelligence lead operation at the prison resulted in 24 phones, including top-of-the-line iPhones, being uncovered by prison staff. 

Additional resources from the Operational Support Group were deployed to the prison to facilitate a lockdown and general search.

This resulted in an additional 13 mobile phones, five weapons and a substantial quantity of drugs being recovered.

In a statement, the Irish Prison Service said: “Today, 24th October 2024 following an intelligence lead operation at Wheatfield Prison, 24 mobile phones were recovered. Additional resources nationally from the Operational Support Group were deployed to Wheatfield Prison to facilitate a lockdown and general search of the Prison which resulted in an additional 13 mobile phones, 5 weapons and a substantial quantity of drugs being recovered.

“The Irish Prison Service continues to have high level engagement and the sharing of intelligence with An Garda Síochána on a regular basis which is resulting in the seizure of contraband, arrests and significant disruption to organised crime involved in smuggling contraband into Irish Prisons.

“An Garda Síochána continues to support the Irish Prison Service operationally with ongoing operations in each relevant Garda Division, including Operation Throwover in DMR West Garda Division supporting the Irish Prison Service at Cloverhill and Wheatfield Prisons.  

“Operations such as Operation Throwover are intended to disrupt, interdict and prosecute attempts to introduce contraband into prisons.

“The Irish Prison Service is committed to preventing the access of contraband into prisons and continues to be a high priority for the Irish Prison Service. The Irish Prison Service has committed to continuing to invest in new technologies and measures to support our efforts to keep contraband out of prisons.

“Prison staff have increased the use of random and intelligence led cell searches on a daily basis. Our Canine Unit carry out searches around the prisons, including a greater focus on searching deliveries into prisons.

“There is a free confidential telephone line (1800 855 717) and text line (086 180 2449) which is operational. Prisoners, visitors, staff or members of the public with information on the trafficking of prohibited items into our prisons can pass on that information in the strictest confidence,” the statement concluded.