Prison officer Mohammed Mirza behind bars for conspiring to smuggle mobile phones

Published: 6th May, 2011
by ANDREW JOHNSON

A PRISON officer has found himself on the wrong side of the bars  after conspiring with an Islington woman to smuggle a mobile phone inside a shampoo bottle to her son, who was being held in Feltham Young Offender Institution.

Sylvia Smith, of Stavely Close, Holloway, and her son John had previously pleaded guilty to the charge, as well as drug offences.

The trio were arrested in April last year following an investigation by the London Prison Anti-Corruption Team. 

Southwark Crown Court heard that Mohammed Mirza had touted his services to the young prisoner, aged 20, who he was supervising.

The three devised a plan to smuggle three mobile phones and skunk cannabis into the prison inside a shampoo bottle.

Ms Smith was instructed to buy a large bottle of shampoo that could easily be cut open and resealed. She was then to place three mobile phones wrapped in cling film inside the bottle, along with two pieces of skunk. Mirza and Ms Smith arranged to meet at Heathrow airport so they could exchange a bag containing the shampoo. 

The plan was then for Mirza to smuggle it into the prison in Middlesex in his gym bag.

Police arrested the pair before the exchange took place. 

In Ms Smith’s home they found the shampoo bottle and mobile phones, along with £450 cash. She had been unable to source the cannabis.

On Wednesday, Mirza was jailed for two years for misconduct in public office and John Smith to seven months and two months respectively for conspiracy to traffic mobile phones and being concerned in the supply of cannabis. 

His mother received an 18-month suspended sentence and was tagged for four months for attempting to supply cannabis and conspiring to traffic mobile phones.