"Legal" letters used in prison drugs scam
13 Feb 06
Allegations that privilege rule used to smuggle drugs into jail
Drugs are being smuggled into Scotland's prisons in recirculated lawyers' letters, according to a report in today's Daily Record.
The article claims that prisoners are taking advantage of a rule that correspondence attracting legal privilege should be passed to prisoners unopened, by sending solicitors' letters to outside accomplices, who then stick paper to the backs of the letters sealing in finely powdered drugs and post them back into the prison.
Marking 'legal correspondence - to be delivered unopened' on the envelope stops prison wardens from opening the mail. Convicted murderer William Beggs won this ruling from the Court of Session after complaining that warders opening his mail breached his human rights.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Prison Service said prison officers were aware of the problem and that they could take appropriate measures if there was a reasonable suspicion that legal letters were being used to smuggle drugs.