Naples – A veritable arsenal of high-tech drugs and several doses of narcotics were seized from inmates at the Secondigliano penitentiary.
During a routine search on the morning of Friday, March 6, Penitentiary Police officers dealt a serious blow to the illicit communications and drug dealing network within the Naples facility.
The raid in the "Liguria" department
The operation, coordinated by Chief of Staff Gianluca Colella, focused on sections 5 and 6 of the "Liguria" unit, an area designated for high-security inmates. The result of the raid was significant: officers found and seized 20 latest-generation smartphones, 3 microcell phones, and 6 blocks of hashish.
The operation was announced by Raffaele Munno, regional deputy secretary of SAPPE (Autonomous Union of Penitentiary Police), who emphasized the effectiveness of internal intelligence in countering the introduction of prohibited material, often smuggled through increasingly sophisticated channels.
A constantly growing phenomenon
"The fight against this is ongoing and involves the men and women of the Corps on a daily basis," commented Donato Capece, general secretary of SAPPE. According to the union representative, the use of phones and drugs in cells is a growing phenomenon that threatens the safety of prisons.
"These seizures are a testament to the professionalism of the Penitentiary Police," Capece added, "who perform essential preventive and judicial police duties, while never failing to ensure the rehabilitation of convicted offenders."
Overcrowding emergency: 1.500 inmates per 1.000 places
The success of the operation is even more striking when analyzed in light of the challenging operating conditions at Secondigliano prison. Data updated as of February 28 paint a picture of severe pressure: despite a regulatory capacity of approximately 1.000 beds, the facility currently houses 1.534 inmates, 137 of whom are women.
The union, while expressing satisfaction with the results achieved, does not hide the critical issues related to the chronic staffing shortage and is calling for structural interventions from the Department of Penitentiary Administration (DAP).
The appeal: "We need technological screens."
The challenge against drones and cell phone concealment systems cannot be met with manual searches alone. Therefore, SAPPE reiterates its call for advanced technological equipment. "We need cutting-edge tools to screen institutions and detect the presence of electronic devices," Capece concludes. "Only in this way can we definitively neutralize attempts at illicit external communication."
It seems like an important operation, but also a bit confusing. The police found 20 smartphones, 3 microcell phones, and 6 blocks of hashish. Overcrowding remains a serious problem, with 1534 inmates per 1000 places. More people are needed, along with more technological protection, but also structural solutions that can't be solved overnight.