A female guard stood down last month from her job at Waikato's Spring Hill prison has been arrested and charged with drug smuggling.
Corrections Department chief executive Barry Matthews confirmed yesterday she had been charged under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
"As this matter will ultimately come before the courts I am not able to go into any further specific detail," he told The New Zealand Herald.
"But this arrest should send a very clear and strong message that corrupt and illegal behaviour will not be tolerated in our prisons."
Mr Matthews said the department was actively monitoring staff suspected of corrupt behaviour. He condemned the small group of employees taking part in illegal activity.
The arrest follows that of two staff members at Wellington's Rimutaka Prison for alleged drug smuggling. They include senior manager Jeffrey Mark Reid, 43, who has been charged with selling cannabis to inmates in June.
