Every lunchtime a cluster of women stands patiently outside Bullingdon Prison waiting to be ushered into the visitors hall to see their menfolk, writes Zahra Borno. The day I saw them they were blue from the freezing cold and their eyes were haunted with anxiety.

I almost felt sorry for them but, though it may sound cynical, I couldn't help but wonder how many were on a drugs run with packages of cannabis and smack hidden in their baggy clothing and their knickers.

It is visitors to prisons who are responsible for bringing drugs through the gates to feed inmates' habits. A sense of misguided loyalty drives many women to try to outwit the system and supply their men with the drugs they crave, even though they themselves run the risk of being thrown behind bars if they are caught. Spy-camera footage of the visitors' hall shows girlfriends or wives caressing and kissing their men during their treasured moments. But a closer look at the video tells the true story.

The apparently affectionate stroking is merely an attempt to conceal the passing of drugs. Neatly wrapped packets of heroin and cannabis are passed by mouth or by stuffing them down their man's trousers.

Drugs are a problem in Bullingdon, just like any other prison. But a major drive to stop the trafficking is beginning to pay off.

Det Con Andy Rymer, who works with the Prison Service and is based full-time at Bullingdon, says: "Once drugs are in here we don't really stand a chance in catching them because the prisoners find ways of moving them around. "They pass them to each other when they go to chapel, or give them to prisoners who are working as cleaners, and they pass them on.

"Where we can make an impact is by cutting off the supply. That's why we're working so hard to target the visitors.

"The prisoners are clever, I'll give them that, they're villains and they've got all day to think about how to get hold of the drugs. They're always trying to be one step ahead. It makes it harder, but we're getting there."

Figures show that the number of arrests made for smuggling drugs into Bullingdon is steadily declining.

This is the greatest indication of the success of the strategy because it means that fewer people are trying to get away with it. In 1998, 37 arrests were made, and that figure had declined to 25 by last year.

No arrests have been made this year, and it looks as if the message is gradually getting across.

Two major weapons in the war are sniffer dogs Toby and Harley. They are probably the most beautiful Labradors I have ever seen, but they are not there merely for their looks.

Their sensitive noses can sniff out drugs of any kind, even if it's a lump of cannabis as small as a Smartie. Handler Steve Bartlett uses the dogs to patrol the visitors' hall and to search the cells. Toby raises the alarm by doing an emergency stop and sitting down in front of the carrier, and Harley claws at wherever the drugs are hidden. It's impossible to pull the wool over their eyes and they act as an important deterrent by making visitors less likely to take a risk of smuggling.

The Prison Service and police have co-operated to build an intelligence network that gathers information about drugs movements inside and outside the prison.

Anonymous letters are sent to the jail and Det Con Rymer, tipping them off about who is dealing. Ironically, they are often sent by dealers worried about others encroaching on their patch and stealing their trade. Det Con Rymer says: "They've no loyalty to each other - they simply want to protect their own skins. Dealers in prison command a lot of power and respect from other inmates and they won't give it up easily.

"I hate drugs and I hate what they do. That's what spurs me on in my job."

Every phone call made from the prison's phone booths is recorded and can be used as evidence if a prisoner comes under suspicion.

Inmates who make a huge number of calls arouse instant attention. Phone cards are a major form of currency in any jail and their regular use implies considerable wealth.

Last month, London mother-of-two Emine Osman was jailed for four years after smuggling 20g of heroin and six grams of cannabis into Bullingdon after hiding it in her underwear. The drugs had a street value of around £1,600, but would have been worth double that in prison where prices are far higher.

The delight that Det Con Rymer takes in knowing that Osman is behind bars because the drugs team did its job properly is clear to see.

His eyes gleam as he says: "She got four years for it. That was the best result we've ever had. She deserved it.

"With sentences like that, people like her will soon learn."

Story date: Thursday 10 February

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