There's been a significant increase in contraband seizures in Castlerea Prison since the re-introduction of visits after the pandemic.
Phones, weapons, drugs and alcohol are some of the items considered contraband in Irish prisons.
150 items were recovered by prison service staff from the Roscommon prison last year.
Any inmate found with contraband runs the risk of losing privileges, or having further time added to their sentence.
According to members of the Prison service, the majority of contraband items such as phones and drugs are smuggled into facilities during visits and deliveries.
Over the course of last year, Prison Officers seized 27 mobile phones from inmates at Castlerea prison, up from 18 the year previous.
Weapons seizures were also significantly up on last year with 43 implements discovered on prisoners or in cells, with just 14 recovered in 2021.
80 litres of prison made alcohol or 'hooch' was recovered by prison officers in 2022, almost four times the level found last year.
The alcohol is made with prison food scraps and is considered a major health hazard for inmates.
