Drug seizures in Scottish prisons have surged during the pandemic, with an 18-fold increase in stoppages of street Valium and a near doubling of psychoactive substance seizures, according to new figures obtained by BBC Scotland under freedom of information laws.
In June 2020, there were 11 recoveries of Etizolam, a benzodiazepine known as fake Valium, across the prison estate. By June 2021, that number had jumped to 198. Recoveries of suspected psychoactive substances rose from 229 in June 2020 to 418 in the same month this year.
Experts say the rise may be linked to the suspension of family visits during the pandemic, driving more prisoners to turn to drugs. A spate of overdoses at HMP Shotts in North Lanarkshire has been linked to new psychoactive substances like synthetic cannabinoid 'Spice' and street benzodiazepines, now believed to be the dominant drugs in prisons.
David Mackie, chairman of penal reform charity Howard League Scotland, warned that the drug trade in jails has an impact beyond prison walls, as prisoners may pressure families to pay for drugs or assist organised crime groups. He noted that for those involved, the trade appears 'quite safe and lucrative' with little risk of prosecution.
The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) said it treats smuggling 'very seriously' and has invested in technology to detect suspicious substances. A spokesman added that psychoactive substances are 'impacting on the whole of our society' and that the SPS quarantines suspect items to prevent them entering prisons.
Since 2016, there have been 20 drug-related deaths in Scottish prisons, with 12 involving psychoactive substances and six involving Etizolam. One anonymous prison officer described the situation as 'Russian roulette', as prisoners do not know the strength of batches, making detection difficult.
