The former jailer told about the New Year's ban for prisoners

Most often, convicts and defendants try to bring alcohol, anabolic steroids, drugs, smartphones and other gadgets to penal institutions for the New Year holidays, said a former operational officer of one of the divisions of the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) of the Russian Federation.

"They try to disguise anabolics as legal pills, but during the inspection, doctors and staff of the surgical unit make sure that the technological packaging is not violated — this allows avoiding possible substitution," the source told Izvestia.

Alcohol is another "scarce" commodity in the colonies.

"The most popular method of alcohol delivery is impregnation. Vodka is poured into a large syringe and, for example, an orange is "pierced" with it," the former operative explained.

Couriers are also trying to deliver barbs and substances that are prohibited for free circulation in Russia, despite the harsh legal consequences for the organizers.

"Drugs and potent drugs are disguised in products and medical packages. In my practice, there was a case when they tried to transfer several grams of heroin to a prisoner by hiding the substances in the curved metal "tail" of a tube of ointment. In another case, we intercepted a batch of hashish hidden in homemade pies," a source in the FSIN unit told Izvestia.

Relatives, acquaintances, or representatives of professions who have the right to visit are often used as couriers. Loved ones hide the "forbidden" on themselves during long dates. Lawyers and medical staff are also actively involved as "shuttles".

For more information about prison smuggling— see the Izvestia article.

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