Police have charged two people who attempted to use drones to deliver contraband to an inmate in Warkworth Institution early Friday morning (February 2).
At around 1:15 a.m. on Friday, the Northumberland Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received a call from Warkworth Institution in Trent Hills about a drone flying over the medium-security prison.
Officers patrolled the area and observed a suspicious pickup truck parked south of the prison on McCann Road. As a result of an investigation, police seized items that are prohibited inside the correctional institution, including two drones, 115 grams of cannabis, and cell phones.
Amanda Choufi, 26, of Nepean, was charged with mischief, delivering contraband to or receiving contraband from an inmate, driving a vehicle with cannabis readily available, speeding, and failing to surrender a driver’s licence. Michael Chenier, 39, of Ottawa, was charged with mischief and delivering contraband to or receiving contraband from an inmate.
The two accused will appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at a future date.
According to the Union for Canadian Correctional Officers, drone delivery of contraband in prisons across Canada is a daily occurrence, accounting for 75 per cent of contraband that is seized from prisoners. Between March 2020 and February 2022, there were almost 700 drone-related incidents in Canadian prisons, with Quebec having the highest percentage of drone incidents.
