Prison officers at the Maximum Security Prison in Arouca seized four apples stuffed with four packets of marijuana weighing 88 grams on the afternoon of 21 November 2018.[1] A 22-year-old man from Kelly Village, Caroni, was arrested and handed over to Arouca police.[1]

Around 1 pm a prison officer scanning visitors noticed a visitor carrying a bag of fruit, saw that the four apples were unusually large, cut them open and found a packet of marijuana in each.[1] The suspect was arrested after attempting to smuggle the apples into the prison.[1] The week before, officers had arrested a man who tried to smuggle marijuana stuffed inside grapefruits.[1]

Prisons Commissioner Gerard Wilson warned visitors and rogue officers that surveillance at the prisons had been increased, saying visitors keep trying to bring illegal items in.[1] Wilson said the fruit concealment may be a new trend, and that the surveillance team had been monitoring officers who may have been involved in trafficking.[1] He said people were coming up with creative ways to smuggle drugs and contraband into the prison but that this would not be tolerated.[1]