BY JARROD MELMETH
A man will face court on Monday after allegedly attempting to deliver contraband into Cessnock Correctional Centre.
On Sunday, officers from Hunter Valley Police District received a tip off regarding the plan to drop the contraband into the correctional centre via a drone.
Following the tip off, police notified the facility who then conducted patrols on the complex.
Police stopped a Holden Commodore on Maitland Road, Cessnock just before 12pm, and spoke to the male and female occupants.
A search of the vehicle was undertaken where police found a drone, and a plastic bag containing a mobile phone and charger, tobacco, lighter and buprenorphine, a prescription drug used to substitute heroin.
A 25-year-old man was arrested and taken to Cessnock Police Station and charged with two counts of unlawfully deliver or attempt to deliver anything to inmate, and one count each of take part supply prohibited drug, possess prohibited drug, bring etc prohibited drug/plant into place of detention and goods in personal custody suspected being stolen.
Police will allege in court the man was coordinating the operation with someone inside the facility.
