Second Prison Officer Detained as Contraband Trafficking Investigation Deepens

The Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service (TTPrS) confirmed the arrest of a male prison officer with roughly twelve years of service on August 28, 2026, outside Golden Grove Prison. Police officers from the Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) carried out the detention in the wake of a prior arrest of a female officer tied to alleged contraband trafficking into the same facility.

The investigation, part of a broader probe into a prison-based contraband network, escalated when a Preventive Detention Order was issued on September 3, 2026, under Regulation 14 of the Emergency Powers Regulations. The officer is now held at the Eastern Correctional and Rehabilitation Center and is expected to face formal charges.

Acting Commissioner of Prisons, Mr. Elvin Scanterbury, warned that any officer who facilitates, participates in, or assists in the trafficking of prohibited items will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, regardless of rank or tenure. TTPrS reiterated that betrayal, safety compromises, and criminal facilitation have no place in the service.

The prison service will continue partnering with external law enforcement agencies to identify, investigate, and disrupt contraband networks within correctional facilities. The public is urged to report any information on contraband, corruption, or other illicit activities via the TTPrS hotline at 800‑PRSN (7776) or directly to the Police Service.