Mexican bid to smuggle phone into prison in coffin

[August 03, 2013]  MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Mexico City prison authorities say they have quashed an attempt to smuggle a prohibited cellphone into a city prison in the coffin of an inmate's mother.

Prisoners in the city have the right to have the casket of a deceased parent or child brought into the prison yard so they can bid farewell to their relative.

But city correctional spokesman Emilio Castelazo said Friday that before the coffin was allowed into the Santa Marta Acatitla prison, guards searched the casket and found the cellphone inside.

Castelazo said a criminal complaint has been filed. Several relatives were with the coffin at the time.

cellphones are banned because inmates frequently use them to coordinate criminal activities outside prison or make extortion calls.

[Associated Press]

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