Drugs, cell phones and other prohibited items are often smuggled into prisons. In Rhineland-Palatinate, 138 cases have already become known this year after 220 in the entire previous year, according to a response from the new Justice Minister Helmut Martin (CDU) to a small question from the Greens.
In 2022, only 93 cases were registered, in 2023 there were 118 and in 2024 there were already 212. Most of the discoveries were made when checking postal items.
Smuggling cannot be completely ruled out
“Despite a variety of security controls, the unauthorized introduction of objects or substances by prisoners, detainees or third parties cannot, unfortunately, be completely ruled out,” states Martin. As an example, he cites the external contacts desired for rehabilitation.
Mobile phones are now so small that they can be easily hidden. Martin describes the difficulties that their functions are sometimes integrated quite inconspicuously in other devices such as smartwatches.
Bribery scandal in Rheinbach touches Rhineland-Palatinate
In the bribery scandal at the Rheinbach correctional facility (JVA) in North Rhine-Westphalia, prisoners are said to have bribed employees with shopping vouchers, for example for online department stores. Seven active prison employees and one former employee are accused of smuggling drugs and cell phones into the prison for money. Investigators are also focusing on numerous prisoners and former inmates. Searches in several cities also affected apartments in the Mayen-Koblenz and Neuwied districts.
There were also individual proceedings in Rhineland-Palatinate
In Rhineland-Palatinate, prison staff have also been occasionally suspected of smuggling in recent years: there was one trial each in 2022 and 2023, five in 2024 and two in 2025, as can be seen from the Ministry of Justice's response to the request from Natalie Cramme-Hill (Greens).
The criminal and disciplinary proceedings had different outcomes. An employee was convicted and removed from service in 2022. Several criminal proceedings were discontinued, and in 2024 there was also an acquittal, as the answer states.
According to Cramme-Hill, the legal policy spokeswoman for the now opposition Green Party, “a problem” is growing in the Rhineland-Palatinate prisons that affects the safety of staff and prisoners alike. “Drugs and other items such as cell phones are finding their way into prison from outside more and more frequently.”
The country must respond effectively to this increase, demanded Cramme-Hill. So far, however, there is no statistical record of how the objects and substances in question got into the institutions, for example by post or when they were released. “This is a crucial omission, because anyone who wants to prevent smuggling precisely must know their ways.”
However, there are already general approaches to combating smuggling. “Drugs in particular often seem to reach prisons by post.” Setting up special rooms for prisoners' digital communication could make postal mail superfluous in many cases, says the Green politician. “That would make this smuggling route more difficult. This is a big measure, but it would pay off in the long term, especially with a view to modern correctional facilities that are adapted to the digital age.
Training, searches, dogs and technology against smuggling
The issues of smuggling and the fight against corruption played a major role in the training and further training of employees, says Justice Minister Martin. This also includes the ban on accepting rewards, gifts and other benefits.
Visitors as well as the detainees, their cells and belongings are regularly searched. The prisons are also protected by “optical-electronic devices”, primarily to prevent drugs or other prohibited items from being thrown onto the prison grounds. The free time centers are therefore regularly checked. Drug and data detection dogs would be deployed upon request. There are also urine checks.
The smuggling of cell phones can be detected with the help of detection devices, explains the state chairman of the BSBD prison union, Stefan Wagner. Jammers are also helpful for this and have already been tested in Rhineland-Palatinate. However, they are problematic if they also work outside the walls, in the vicinity of the correctional facility.
But jammers could help against a completely different problem: drones that could be directed specifically to windows and drop something within a very short period of time, as Wagner says.
Drug detection procedures observed across national borders
When it comes to drugs, staff are always dealing with new substances, says Wagner, describing the problem. The use of drug detection devices in correspondence with new psychoactive substances (NPS) is a good approach.
These drugs are smuggled in liquefied form on paper or scraps of paper, explained Wagner. “Children’s images are often misused for this purpose.” The sprinkled paper is cut up, rolled into cigarettes and smoked.
However, the composition of the NPS is constantly changing. “We’re always a bit behind, but we’re damn close.” The State Criminal Police Office database is very helpful. “This process from Rhineland-Palatinate is internationally groundbreaking and highly regarded,” explains Minister Martin.
When searching the cells, two developments were problematic. “We are at the limit in terms of personnel and many positions are not filled,” said Wagner. And the prisons are “crammed full”.
