A Rimutaka Prison boss has been charged with dealing cannabis to inmates.
Six people have been arrested following Operation Wire, a joint police and Corrections Department cannabis sting, in Wellington.
Jeffrey Mark Reid, 43, was arrested on Thursday and charged along with three prisoners and two women following the month-long investigation.
Reid, a unit manager in a high-security section of the Upper Hutt prison, appeared in Wellington District Court on Thursday charged with selling cannabis to Matthew Kidman.
Reid was also charged with conspiring to sell cannabis and cultivating cannabis. He was remanded without plea, on bail, and will reappear on June 15.
Kidman sparked a two-day manhunt last November when he skipped bail on firearms charges, The Dominion Post reported.
He and the other four charged will appear in court on June 10.
Operation Wire ended yesterday with search warrants being executed at Rimutaka Prison and houses in Hutt Valley and Wellington city.
Detective Senior Sergeant Darrin Thomson said six children were referred to Child, Youth and Family after being found in homes raided during the investigation.
Corrections Minister Judith Collins said she was confident drug use was not rampant within Rimutaka.
Corrections Department head Barry Matthews said police became involved as information surfaced.
He said illegal activity in prisons was intolerable and didn't want the actions of one staff member to tarnish the honesty and dedication of others.
