BRIEFS. security

Prison official: guards helped smuggle gun

Penitentiary System Director Luis Gordon said there is no doubt that prison guards were involved in the smuggling of a gun into La Joyita Prison. The gun was discovered on prison grounds on Tuesday.

According to Gordon, the initial findings are that the gun was thrown from outside the prison, a method that has also been used by gangs to smuggle drugs into the facility. The director said that the guards patrolling the perimeter of the facility had to be involved in the operation.

He said he has sought help from police to investigate the case and thoroughly and punish those officials who are involved.

Gordon also said that there is evidence that there are a number of weapons in many of the country's other prisons, most notably La Joya, Nueva Esperanza in Colón and El Renacer.

He said guards plan on conducting searches to find and confiscate the weapons.