Prison staff have been caught allegedly smuggling phones, drugs and tobacco into Kiwi prisons in exchange for cash.

Twenty people have now been charged following a police investigation that revealed alleged corruption and other criminal activities within several correctional facilities.

A corrections officer from Spring Hill Corrections Facility, five Reintegration Officers from the Auckland South Corrections Facility (ASCF), and five members of the public have been charged.

Yesterday, a further nine staff members from the Mt Eden Corrections Facility (MECF) were arrested.

Those arrested include Corrections Officers, Reintegration Officers, and members of the public associated with prisoners.

The operation identified drug-dealing offences allegedly carried out by prisoners, guards, and their associates.

Police identified criminal offending so serious that the corruption and bribery charges required the Attorney-General’s consent to prosecute.

Detective Inspector Colin Parmenter said police allege some Mt Eden prisoners “were coordinating drug importations and drug-related transactions from within prison”.

“Several staff working in Mt Eden were allegedly involved in smuggling mobile phones, drugs, tobacco and other contraband into prison in exchange for cash,” Parmenter said.

“Police believe the phones were used by prisoners to continue drug importation and distribution activities from within the Mt Eden facility.”

Corrections Officers were also identified as being involved in this alleged offending.

Parmenter said while investigations initially focused on the activities of sentenced and remand prisoners based at Mt Eden, it soon expanded to other facilities.

Parmenter said evidence was identified that implicated several Reintegration Officers, employed by Serco, allegedly engaging in similar corrupt practices.

Police said it will be alleged that this involved smuggling controlled drugs and tobacco for financial gain.

This week, police have executed 25 search warrants across the Auckland, Waikato, and Bay of Plenty regions, including at the Mount Eden Corrections Facility.

A cell search was also conducted at Spring Hill Corrections Facility in the Waikato.

Overall, those charged include nine Corrections Officers from the Mt Eden Corrections Facility, one from Spring Hill Corrections Facility, five Reintegration Officers from the Auckland South Corrections Facility, and five members of the public.

To date, there have been 108 charges laid in relation to the investigation.

“Police have worked closely with Corrections and Serco as part of this investigation, and we are all committed to rooting out corruption and preventing this criminal offending from taking place,” Parmenter said.

“There has been an incredible amount of work put into this investigation to get where we are to date, but as matters are now subject to court proceedings, we will be limited in providing any further comments,” Parmenter said.

Those arrested are from the Auckland and Bay of Plenty region and have been appearing in the Auckland District Court.