Inmates, alleged drugs linked to courthouse police presence

A heightened police presence at Regina’s provincial courthouse Tuesday was a result of inmates getting sick from illegal drugs.

Ministry of Justice spokesperson Drew Wilby said three inmates were taken to hospital around 4 p.m. after obtaining contraband.

“In particular, drugs of some nature,” he said.

Wilby said two of the inmates involved were on remand at the Regina Correctional Centre (RCC) and the other was being housed in a police cell prior to being taken to the courthouse.

Regina police told 980 CJME they were called to the courthouse for a “sick or injured man” and a man had “turned blue.”

Wilby said the inmates “were in good health” and had been returned to the RCC after 11 p.m.

He added officials are unsure as to how the drugs got into inmate hands, but an investigation is underway.

“Inmates are pretty clever in how they attempt to bring contraband, whether it’d be into a courthouse or into a correctional centre, but the investigation will bring out all those details,” he said.