BUSTED: Lydia Charlery.
The female Bordelais Correctional Facility officer who was caught with drugs in her private part has been granted bail.
Lydia Charlery of La Pointe, Mon Repos appeared in the First District Court on Tuesday, April 14 where she was granted bail in the sum of EC$2,500 or suitable surety, police said in a press release.
“Other bail conditions include the surrendering of her travel documents, not leaving the state without the court’s permission, and reporting to the Central Police Station every Wednesday,” the press release stated.
The 40-year-old mother of three was on Tuesday charged with possession of a controlled drug, intent to supply a controlled drug, attempt to introduce a controlled drug to a correctional facility and attempt to introduce a cell phone to a correctional facility.
Charlery was caught with two “bricks” suspected to be hashish or cannabis resin, tightly wrapped in a clear plastic bag and further concealed in foil paper in her possession on Sunday, April 12, police said.
The entire package reportedly weighed about 25 grams and was hidden in a sanitary pad worn by the correctional officer.
Inspector Burton Deterville, head of the Drug Unit, had told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) initially the officer refused to be searched or spread her legs.
She instead requested to be taken to Dennery Hospital, where a doctor removed the drugs from her private part area. Deterville said a female officer accompanied the prison officer to the hospital.
Deterville said all prison officers are subjected to a routine search when they arrive at work. He said female prison officers are usually “frisked” but on this occasion the officer received a “body cavity search” based on intelligence received.
“We don’t do body cavity searches unless there is a reason to or we received intelligence,” the Drug Unit chief pointed out.
Other reliable sources have told SNO that prison officials have long suspected the prison officer of drug smuggling.
“We knew about her activities but we never caught her, until today,” the source said. “She is known to the police. Her house has been searched several times.”
It is alleged that her boyfriend is an ex convict who was arrested for firearm possession in Martinique.