In a pre-dawn targeted search operation launched on intelligence tip-offs about drone-fueled contraband smuggling, officers from the Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service (TTPrS) seized a large cache of prohibited items from the country’s Maximum Security Prison (MSP) early Friday. The operation, carried out by the service’s elite Emergency Response Unit (ERU) starting around 3 a.m., focused on the B and M Divisions of the high-security facility, where officers recovered an extensive list of banned goods. Among the seized items were 14 mobile phones, 285 packs of cigarettes, one sealed box of Big Bambu wrapping paper, two digital scales, a cellphone charger, four homemade improvised weapons, a cellphone screen replacement, a brown-handled screwdriver, two pairs of headsets, and a pair of scissors. The largest single seizure by weight was 2,055 grams of plant-based material suspected to be marijuana, commonly known as ganja. All recovered contraband has been secured as authorities continue their probe into the smuggling ring, with ongoing support from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS). TTPrS officials confirmed that multiple inmates are facing formal charges as the investigation progresses. Acting Commissioner of Prisons Elvin Scanterbury publicly praised the ERU officers involved in the operation, highlighting their unwavering dedication, sharp vigilance, and commitment to upholding institutional security. In an official statement, Scanterbury reaffirmed the TTPrS’s long-standing goal to maintain a secure, contraband-free environment across all of the nation’s correctional facilities. He also noted that smuggling attempts remain persistent, with bad actors continuously developing new tactics—including leveraging modern technology such as drones—to bypass layered security protocols. The TTPrS emphasizes that it relies on a proactive strategy combining intelligence-driven operations, upgraded security infrastructure, and targeted search exercises to detect, block, and disrupt the flow of illegal goods into its facilities. To strengthen these efforts, the service has issued a public appeal for community assistance in protecting the integrity and security of Trinidad and Tobago’s correctional system. Any member of the public with information related to contraband trafficking or unauthorized introduction of prohibited items into prisons is encouraged to contact the TTPrS confidential hotline at 800-PRSN (7776), or submit tips directly to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service.