Six per cent of prison inmates test positive for opiates

6:14pm Friday 14th March 2008

THE scale of drug abuse at Forest Bank prison has been revealed as figures show almost 6 per cent of inmates tested positive for opiates, such as heroin.

Ministry of Justice figures show 4.9 per cent of prisoners at the 1,064-capacity Forest Bank, which is in Agecroft and takes criminals from Bolton, tested positive for cannabis and 5.5 per cent for opiates.

Out of 139 prisons in England and Wales, only 38 were clear of positive opiate tests.

The same number were also clear of cannabis, according to the three-month study carried out last year.

Justice minister David Hanson said: "Prisons already have in place a comprehensive framework of supply reduction measures which can be adapted flexibly to meet local need."