Ferozepur: In a major crackdown, officials at Central Jail Ferozepur recovered a large quantity of contraband, including 23 mobile phones, drugs, and tobacco products, during extensive search operations carried out on October 8, 10, and 11. The recovery has once again exposed serious lapses in the high-security facility’s surveillance and perimeter control.
The confiscated items included 16 keypad phones, 7 smartphones, 700 grams of loose zarda, 14 grams of black powder, 23 grams of white intoxicant powder, 135 zarda sachets, 110 bundles of bidis, 12 headphones, 8 data cables, and nearly 2 grams of a suspected intoxicant. The unclaimed items were discovered scattered around the prison premises, including rooftops of the high-security zone, indicating they were likely thrown in from outside.
Following the recovery, a case has been registered against unidentified individuals under Sections 52-A and 42 of the Prisons Act based on a complaint by the Assistant Superintendent of Central Jail, Ferozepur. Authorities have urged for strict legal action against those involved in smuggling operations.
Officials revealed that smuggling cases have been steadily increasing over the years. Records show 70 mobile phones were seized in 2019, 130 in 2020, 265 in 2021, 437 in 2022, 469 in 2023, 510 in 2024, and 514 up to October 2025. The trend has been largely attributed to the jail’s proximity to nearby high-rise residential buildings, from where contraband is believed to be hurled inside, despite three layers of security fencing.
Prison authorities said mobile phones are the most sought-after items among inmates, often used for maintaining outside connections, coordinating criminal activities, and making extortion calls from behind bars. While insider involvement is suspected in some cases, officials admit that investigations often remain limited due to the challenges of taking prisoners on remand, which poses significant security concerns.
Officials have also called for stricter parole policies, especially for inmates previously caught with prohibited items, to deter smuggling and ensure better discipline inside prisons.
