Contraband Smuggling is an Art

Inmates use many methods to hide contraband they are smuggling into prisons. They take great pride in getting cell phones past the guards and then brag about it on social media. They hide it inside their bodies, inside objects, and use drones to get it over fences.

The Art of Smuggling

[twocol_one]
[/twocol_one] [twocol_one_last]The art of smuggling is a creative mental exercise for them. And detection is a tricky game to play. As a result, locating cells as they make their way into the prison or facility is an entire industry.[/twocol_one_last]

Phones get stashed in ceilings, walls, and inside toilets. Many times the cell is in common areas. Kitchens, libraries, yards, work stations. Other places they hide are inside of hollowed out books or legal briefs. Or toiletries, loose clothing, inside other electronics, and food containers.

It is common to leave the mobile in the bathroom or work area. While the inmate is there they use it then hide it behind bricks, toilets, or tiles. It is a rampant nuisance. The problem is two-fold.

Detection: Point of Entry vs Smuggling

1. Detection of cell phones as they enter the facility.
2. Being able to detect mobile phones that are already in the building.

Our previous blog revealed that staff, guards, and vendors are couriering the phones.

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This is how cult leader Charles Manson got access to a cell phone twice. A third time a follower of his attempted to smuggle him a phone while visiting.[/twocol_one] [twocol_one_last][/twocol_one_last]

(Video: A time that Charles got caught with a cell phone)

Contraband smuggling is happening at the perimeter of the jail and inside the cells. And contraband travels together. When you find a smuggled cell phone, you find other contraband. Detection products or methods finding hidden or smuggled phones leads to other contraband.

[tweetthis]”Contraband smuggling starts at jail perimeters & end up inside cells. How to prevent them?” http://j.mp/contrabandsmuggling @BVSystems[/tweetthis]

Methods of Detecting Smuggled Contraband

There are several methods of detection. Some are more effective than others. We will list a few of the common methods used.

1. Trained Sniffing Dogs

2. Radio Frequency Detectors

3. Ferromagnetic Detectors

1. Dogs trained to sniff out contraband are one accurate way of detection. They can sniff out phones, batteries, and accessories with precision. But they don’t always find every phone.

Scent blocking can mess with their ability to detect. They are expensive to train. Many years of training and upkeep go into detection sniffing dogs. Also, every inmate knows when a sniffing dog has entered the facility giving them time to stash contraband.

2. Radio frequency detection is a selective way to detect. It can only find a cell phone power on and in use. This type of detection has usage as a mounted unit or a portable scanner. It allows guards to catch inmates red-handed and even walk around to locate the phones like a geiger counter.

3. Ferromagnetic detectors are becoming a favorite in the contraband smuggling and detection field. The cell phone does not need to be turned on for the detection to happen. The detector picks up the electromagnetic field generated by any mobile phone – even OFF and with the battery removed. The downside is the range is short and sometimes less than a foot.