FAKE food tins stuffed with £10,000-worth of tobacco and drugs have been seized by vigilant prison officers.

Staff at HMP Guys Marsh became suspicious after two food packages arrived at the jail, claiming to have come from another prison.

On closer inspection, some of the tins of baked beans, spaghetti and tomato soup were found to have been hollowed out and filled with contraband.

They contained almost two kilograms of tobacco, smoking paraphernalia and steroids thought to have a prison value of around £10,000.

The packages even included faked official documents in an attempt to dupe staff to pass the items to a prisoner. The matter has been reported to the police.

Ian Walters, governor of HMP Guys Marsh, said: “Contraband and drugs in prisons fuel violence and put the welfare of all staff and prisoners at risk.

“Criminals are constantly coming up with new ways to attempt to circumvent security and my staff work extremely hard to stay one step ahead. I am very proud of their achievements.”

Lucy Frazer QC MP, prisons and probation minister, added: “I am grateful to our dedicated prison officers who are the first line of defence against the smuggling of illicit items into our prisons.

“Their work changes lives, which is why we are dedicated to supporting them through our £100 million security investment in new x-ray scanners and detection equipment, to combat these threats.”

The find comes almost a year after prison officers at Guys Marsh foiled an attempt to smuggle drugs stuffed inside dead rats.

Dorset Echo:

  • Prison officers found drugs inside rats in 2019

Following their last visit to HMP Guys Marsh, inspectors praised the jail for reducing violence and drug use with nearly 40 per cent fewer violent incidents and more than 60 per cent fewer positive drug tests.

This comes as the Government invests £100 million to bolster prison security, clamping down on the weapons, drugs and mobile phones that fuel violence, self-harm and crime behind bars.

In addition to this, £2.5 billion will be spent on transforming the estate through the creation of 10,000 additional prison places. Meanwhile, an extra £156 million investment in maintenance will tackle the most pressing issues to keep jails safe.