AN investigation has been launched after disturbing video of prison drug – smuggling emerged yesterday, Monday 24 October.

Shocking images of a naked inmate from the Forest Bank prison in Salford, shot by another inmate on an illegally – imported mobile phone, show how prisoners smuggle drugs and other illegal objects into the prison system.

The distressing video has allegedly been shared by inmates on WhatsApp, showing how a naked, masked man pretends to be a bird which is laying “golden eggs” – reported to be small packages of drugs – onto the masked face of another naked prisoner.

The drug is thought to be the infamous “Spice”, also known as “Black Mamba”, which has become increasingly popular in prisons around the country.

“Spice” is one of many man-made mind-altering chemicals that are either smoked or are vaporised and inhaled in e-cigarettes and other devices.

Drug known as "Spice" or "Black Mamba"
Drug known as “Spice” or “Black Mamba”

These chemicals are known as cannabinoids because of their relation to the marijuana plant.

What makes “Spice” different from marijuana though, is the unpredictable and dangerous side effects, which include altered perception, delusional or disordered thinking, extreme anxiety,  confusion, paranoia and hallucinations.

An HMP Forest Bank spokesperson said: “Prisons are a challenging environment to manage, but our staff work very hard to successfully stop many illicit items getting into HMP Forest Bank. We will investigate any breach of protocol and take appropriate action.”

This, however, is one of many footages showing an inmate using a mobile phone inside a prison, transmitting sounds and images and using drugs, which are all illegal in prisons in the UK.

https://twitter.com/PrisonUK/status/786338715530657792

Previous videos have shown self – harm, bullying, humiliation – one of the latest clips shows two naked prisoners on all fours barking like dogs while their “owners”, two other inmates, control them with leads, the M.E.N. reported.

One of the “animals” is introduced as “an Islamic Turkey lurcher pitt bull” while the other is an “Iranian sausage dog”.

Despite speculation that the latest and other clips have been filmed in the Islamic prayer room of the HMP Forest Bank, this is thought not to be true.

Alistair Drummond, a spokesperson for Sodexo, which owns and runs HMP Forest Bank, said: “Drug and phone smuggling are serious problems in every single prison in the UK, not only in Forest Bank.”

Steve Gillan, General Secretary for the Prison Officers’ Association (POA), said: “Spice is being smuggled in prisons all the time and nothing is being done by the government to reduce the amount of drugs coming in.

“What the government should be doing is increasing staffing levels to make sure it’s more difficult to get illegal substances into the system.

https://soundcloud.com/user-844403577/steve-gillan-general-secretary-of-poa

“The harsh facts are there isn’t enough staff to deal with the day – to – day life in prisons and inmates realise that, the POA realises that, the general public is now well aware, but still, nothing is being done, and it seems like prisoners are taking control over security staff.

“We’ve seen an increase in self – harm and other incidents all around the system and it’s inevitable that prisons are going to be more dangerous, whether it is though drugs or violence.

“And government officials still bury their heads in the sand”, Mr Gillan said.

The investigation is still ongoing.

The latest clip is too graphic to be published on our site, if you would still like to watch it, click here.

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