Man caught throwing tennis balls containing drugs into a Canary Islands prison
The Guardia Civil in Lanzarote have arrested a 21-year-old man accused of trying to smuggle drugs into the Tahiche prison by throwing two tennis balls filled with hashish pollen over the perimeter wall.
The incident took place on 19th August, when a security guard was monitoring the prison’s CCTV cameras.
He spotted someone on an electric scooter approaching the facility and throwing two suspicious objects inside, and immediately alerted officers stationed at the centre.
Agents quickly responded in a patrol car and intercepted the suspect a short distance from the prison. He was detained on the spot and taken to the police station in Costa Teguise, where the case was formally processed.
When the objects were recovered, they were found to be two tennis balls that had been cut open and stuffed with small packages containing around 240 grams of hashish pollen.
Hashish pollen, known in Spain simply as “polen”, is a form of cannabis resin made by collecting and pressing the resin glands of the cannabis plant. With its sandy texture and yellowish colour, it is easy to compress, transport, and conceal, making it a popular choice for smuggling attempts. Authorities say this also explains why it is frequently used in prison contraband operations, where small, discreet packages are easier to get past security.
The man has since been brought before Arrecife’s Court of Instruction Number 1, where legal proceedings are ongoing to clarify the case and determine any further charges.
This is not the first time authorities in the Canary Islands have dealt with creative smuggling attempts targeting prisons. In recent years, officers have intercepted packages of drugs and mobile phones thrown over perimeter walls, sometimes hidden inside footballs, drinks bottles, or even food containers.
These operations are becoming increasingly sophisticated according to the Guardia Civil, and so they have stepped up surveillance around penitentiary centres to prevent contraband from reaching inmates.
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