- Independent report at HMP Wealstun in West Yorkshire says Spice is on the rise
- Fake legal letters are being soaked in the drug before being handed to inmates
- Prison officers are forced to photocopy them, triggering a fresh row on privacy
Fake lawyers letters are being sent into prisons soaked with ‘zombie’ drugs in the latest bid to feed inmates’ addictions.
An independent report into conditions at HMP Wealstun in West Yorkshire found the letters are being smuggled in after being sprayed with psychoactive substances like the synthetic cannabis Spice.
Prison officers have been forced to photocopy the letters before giving them to inmates, which has caused a separate row that legal letters should only be opened by the addressee.
An independent report at HMP Wealstun in West Yorkshire found fake legal letters are being doused in drugs before they are handed over to inmates
The Independent Monitoring Board at the Category C male prison said: ‘Where there is suspicion that incoming letters have been soaked in drugs, they are photocopied.
‘This has resulted in an increase in complaints from prisoners, as bogus Legal Mail is a significant problem and Legal Mail should not be opened.
‘Prisoners found guilty at adjudications of taking drugs are offered drugs courses.’
The report added: ‘The prison is well managed and that management are doing a good job under testing circumstances.
‘Psychoactive substances continue to be a major issue for healthcare within HMP Wealstun.’
Both prisoners and officers have been sent to hospital as Spice becomes more widely used, with officers being called to related incidents between ‘eight and 10 times a day’.
Prison officers are being forced to photocopy the letters first to stop the drugs getting to prisoners, which has triggered a separate privacy row
The report said prison staff are becoming ‘more adept at dealing with these calls’.
Dr George Ryan of Public Health England said the highly-addictive substance is responsible for turning high streets into ‘zombie zones’ and was easily accessible to prisoners.
This week disturbing footage surfaced of a pack of ‘Spice zombies’ left paralysed and unable to speak after taking the drug in St Mary Street, Cardiff.
South Wales Police responded by vowing to crack down on dealers to ‘end the misery’ it causes in the community.
A group of ‘Spice zombies’ were captured on video in St Mary Street, Cardiff this week
The shocking video footage shows four homeless men slumped outside shopfronts in Cardiff after apparently taking the synthetic drug spice