Drugs and phones smuggled into jail, court told

8 hours ago

Oliver Whitfield-Miocicat Hove Crown Court

Four people are on trial for allegedly conspiring to get drugs and phones in HMP Lewes

BBC A grey brick building, with a blue sky in the background — Four people are on trial for allegedly conspiring to get drugs and phones in HMP Lewes

Drugs and phones were smuggled into a prison in a "highly lucrative" operation, a court has heard.

Yannan Reid, Fatimaalzhra Yousif, Chukuemeka Anumnne, 30, and Jay Lindo, 31, have all denied conspiring to get cannabis, mobile phones and Sim cards into HMP Lewes in 2023.

Hove Crown Court heard Reid was already in the East Sussex jail at the time of his alleged involvement in the offences.

Reid is said to have used a smuggled phone to contactYousif, his 23-year-old girlfriend, to organise getting in the contraband.

Fatimaalzhra Yousif is accused of receiving about £27,000 in unexplained payments

BBC News Fatimaalzhra Yousif, also known as Zara, sits on steps outside court wearing a black puffer jacket, black trousers and trainers. She is clutching a mobile phone and a vape — Fatimaalzhra Yousif is accused of receiving about £27,000 in unexplained payments

Amy Packham, prosecuting, told the court this included instructions about weights and prices, packages of drugs and tobacco, references to USBs and phones, messages about payments and bank account details.

The operation was dubbed "highly lucrative" because inmates pay a premium for items which are banned from cells, the court was told.

Yousif, from London, is accused of receiving about £27,000 in unexplained payments.

When asked in a police interview why she had received such a large amount of money, the beauty therapist and piercer said most of her clients would pay in cash and that she had sold kittens worth thousands of pounds, the court heard.

Jay Lindo was arrested near the perimeter of HMP Lewes

BBC News Jay Lindo looks outside Hove Trial Centre. He wears a black puffer jacket and a dark checked shirt — Jay Lindo was arrested near the perimeter of HMP Lewes

Anumnne and Lindo, also from London, were arrested near the perimeter of HMP Lewes in March 2023 after police were told items were being thrown into the prison grounds, the jury heard.

Cannabis, tobacco, cigarette papers, phones, USB cables and a Sim card removal tool was found when their vehicle was searched, the court was told.

The prosecution said the items were "packaged and ready to be thrown over the wall."

The trial continues.

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