Prison inmate found with 90 cannabis cigarettes

A prison inmate was caught with 90 cannabis cigarettes in his cell just two weeks before he was due for release, Taupo District Court was told yesterday.

Clayton Wilson, aged 23, was remanded in custody until he is sentenced in July after he pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis for supply.

A Police summary of facts stated a package was thrown over the Tongariro/Rangipo Prison perimeter fence on June 1.

The package landed behind the cells and an inmate from inside retrieved it. After that the package disappeared.

Later that night two Corrections officers noted suspicious activity inside Wilson's cell.

The next morning his cell was searched and he was strip-searched. Corrections officers found 90 pre-rolled cannabis cigarettes in a bag concealed in his underwear. It also contained two grams of loose cannabis.

The total weight seized was 18 grams.

Cannabis cigarettes are called "race horses" in prison and sell for between $10 and $15.

When spoken to Wilson said he was holding them for someone else and couldn't say who.

He said his job was just to roll them up and hold them -- and in exchange he got to keep some.

- NZPA