LIHU‘E — As the Hawai‘i Department of Public Safety moves to clamp down on illegal drugs in state jails and prisons, smuggling remains a persistent problem at Kaua‘i Community Correctional Center.
There have been two instances where drugs were found to have been smuggled into KCCC from 2022 to present, Department of Public Safety spokesperson Toni Schwartz reported in an email exchange with The Garden Island.
In both cases, inmates admitted to their involvement, she said. The facility opened a misconduct investigation, found two inmates at fault, and sanctioned them to 30 days of disciplinary segregation.
Citing safety and security concerns, Schwartz did not disclose information about what type of drugs were involved and how they were smuggled into the facility.
She listed some smuggling tactics seen at the jail, including authorized visits and tossing items directly from the highway that abuts the jail.
“It is not the size of the facility, but rather a person’s determination to smuggle any illegal item into the facility,” Schwartz wrote. “KCCC is challenged because of its proximity to the road and open areas in the front of the facility.”
Over the previous two years, there were no instances of drugs being smuggled into KCCC, Schwartz reported, though at one point a package of cigarettes was found in the Lifetime Stand garden. Officials believe these may have been thrown from the highway.
The presence of drugs in jails has had tragic consequences on Kaua‘i. In late 2016, Gregory Silva, an inmate with just months left on a long-haul, 17-year sentence, died of a toxic reaction to methamphetamine while incarcerated at KCCC. It remains unknown how he obtained the drugs.
Operation Paper Shredder
Last week, the state announced the arrest of five women involved in three recent cases of contraband smuggling in O‘ahu correctional facilities, in an ongoing initiative dubbed “Operation Paper Shredder.”
Two of these cases involved drug-laden paper, which is created when a controlled substance is soaked into the surface of the paper.
Drug-laden paper has not been identified as a method of smuggling at KCCC, Schwartz reported.
In all three cases, the department believes that inmates influenced their family or friends to obtain contraband and smuggle contraband into O‘ahu facilities.
In the first case, three women were arrested for their involvement in the sending of a letter containing drug-laden paper to an O‘ahu facility. The letter was intercepted by Narcotics Enforcement Division agents, tested, and found to contain a controlled substance.
In the second case, a 42-year-old woman was arrested in Hilo after another letter containing drug paper was discovered at an O‘ahu correctional facility. In the third case, a 38-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of sending a letter containing methamphetamine to an Oah‘u correctional facility.
“Public Safety’s Corrections and Law Enforcement Divisions have been working hand-in-hand on these cases to stop contraband from making it into the jails and prisons,” said PSD Director Tommy Johnson. “The efforts by corrections staff to intercept the drugs and turn them over to law enforcement prompted each of these cases, resulting in arrests.”
All the suspects are presumed to be innocent until and unless they are found guilty in a court of law. Officials report that more arrests are expected.
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Guthrie Scrimgeour, reporter, can be reached at 808-647-0329 or gscrimgeour@thegardenisland.com.
