Government is set to crack down on would-be drug pushers who visit the prison says Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Terry Lister.

He says drugs in prison have been on the decline with the introduction of dogs and scanners last year.

Now, Mr. Lister says visitors will no longer be able to flee rather than face the ion scan.

He told The Royal Gazette: "Since October over 1,000 people have been through the ion scan. We are putting through everyone.

"Staff are getting tested, service workers, prisoners coming in and, of course, visitors who it's really aimed at.

"We have been taking an approach which gives people time to figure out what's going on.

"What's happened is people have come up and when they see the ion scan they leave.

"We let them go. In future that will stop.

"The minute you come through the main gates on the Department of Corrections property you lose the right to come and go as you see fit.

"So people who come inside the gates, who choose not to go through the ion scan won't be allowed to jump in their car and run off the premises.

"We won't let them out. If there is drugs in their possession we will turn them over to the Police."

For years there were rumours that Prison officers also brought in drugs but Mr. Lister said no officer had been found with drugs since the dogs and scanners were put in.

"I am glad to say nothing has turned up. If something was to turn up I know the officer's union would stand behind any action that is taken.

"The union is concerned about the charge when it's made because it makes all prison officers look like guilty parties.

"We don't believe that for a minute so we are pleased that nothing has come forward."

He said the use of sniffer dogs had led to more contraband being found:

"What is happening is we are turning up things like cell phones."

"However the main reason was to identify the drugs and who was handling them.

"What's happening is they are being a deterrent to drugs. The number of seizures of drugs from the use of the drugs is extremely low.

"I expected far more. It's more of a deterrent now. How do you prove that? We take a representative sample and test on a monthly basis."

He said samples were being taken and the percentages are falling.

"It means the deterrent really is there."

Asked what drugs were showing up during the tests, Mr. Lister said: "It's all sorts. Anything can get in unfortunately.

"I am pleased the testing at the farm has proved successful. How do you prove people out there working won't be using drugs? It's actually working. The percentage of people using drugs at the Prison Farm is starting to drop."

The dog team and the ion scan are moved back and forth between the prison and the Prison Farm, but Mr. Lister said there was now money in the Budget for a second scanner.

Mr. Lister also revealed Government was currently advertising for a top consultant to get Prison managers trained so there would be strong local competition for Commissioner John Prescod's job when his contract was up.

The prison has axed the Deputy Commissioner' post in favour of four assistant commissioners.

Restructuring will see separate heads of training, personnel, administration and operations instead of demarcation based on geography.

Mr. Lister said it would make it clear where responsibilities lay.