The strict control over drug trafficking in the Canary Islands' prisons has once again become a central issue in the judicial activity of southern Gran Canaria. The Public Prosecutor's Office has filed its formal indictment with the Provincial Court, requesting a trial against inmate JHA and his mother, MdCAA. Both face lengthy prison sentences after being caught attempting to smuggle a shipment of compressed drugs into the Las Palmas II Penitentiary Center, located in the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana.
The events date back to July 26, 2023. According to the prosecutor's report, a mother and son arranged a conjugal visit at the aforementioned prison, where the accused was serving a sentence for previous offenses. With the aim of obtaining illicit financial gain through the distribution of narcotics within the prison, the woman gave the substances to her son. The plan was immediately thwarted by prison officials; after arousing suspicion, the inmate underwent an X-ray examination that revealed the presence of three packets concealed inside his body.
The expert report on the seized substances, included in the case file, details an alarming concentration of the active ingredients, especially those derived from cocaine. Chemical analyses confirmed that the defendant was carrying 8,4 grams of cocaine with a purity of 86,99%, supplemented by another batch of 2,14 grams that was nearly 99,35% pure. The haul was completed with 12,12 grams of heroin (with a purity of 8,43%) and 38,1 grams of cannabis resin.
The combination of these quantities of adulterants and hard drugs would have allowed for the distribution of up to 217 doses within the cells of the southern prison. The official street value of the drugs has been set at €1.632, a value that multiplies exponentially given the scarcity and high demand for these substances within a maximum-security prison.
The prosecution legally classifies these acts as a crime against public health, specifically the distribution of substances that cause serious harm to health, as defined in Articles 368 (paragraph one, subparagraph one) and 374 of the Criminal Code. Since there are no mitigating or aggravating circumstances of recidivism applicable—despite the fact that the accused has prior convictions for burglary in Algeciras—both defendants are held liable as the perpetrators.
The Public Prosecutor's Office is requesting a severe sentence, reflecting the gravity of violating the security of a state institution. For each of the accused, the Prosecutor's Office is requesting a sentence of four years and nine months in prison, in addition to a fine of €3.496 and disqualification from holding public office for the duration of the sentence. In the event of insolvency and failure to pay the fine, they will be subject to a subsidiary criminal liability of three months' imprisonment. The document concludes by requesting the confiscation, the custody of legal samples, and the immediate destruction of the remaining seized drugs.
