Updated - Two prison officers have been suspended after have tested positive for drug-taking, informed sources said.

The two were found out during random tests.

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Home Affairs recalled how the minister, Manuel Mallia, had declared that he wanted to stamp out drug-taking at the prison, which was a problem which had persisted for years.

A week ago, random urine tests were started for prisoners and officers and two members of the prison staff tested positive for cocaine.

Follow-up tests would be carried out to remove all possible doubts. The police have been called in for further investigations.

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