Scotland’s maximum security jail has been plunged into crisis after six inmates were rushed to hospital following drug overdoses at the weekend.
Ambulance crews were called to HMP Shotts, in Lanarkshire, on separate occasions after prisoners were found unresponsive.
It comes as Justice Secretary Keith Brown faced criticism over nine drug fatalities recorded at the jail in 2021.
Sources say the long-term prisoners were all rushed to Wishaw General Hospital. The most recent was taken to A&E at about 5pm last night.
It is feared the overdose victims took drugs from the same rogue batch. All came from the same landing and were last night being treated in intensive care.
An insider said: "Inmates were collapsing with suspected drug overdoses every few hours.
"All the men come from the same part of the prison and have taken drugs from the same consignment.
"It’s thought they took a spice-based substance which can be hard to identify.
"Some prisoners were stretchered out and looked in a bad way."
Use of dangerous psychoactive drugs – known as spice – and etizolam, aka “street valium”, has been a growing problem in jails.
Substances are soaked into paper or clothing and passed to inmates by unsuspecting prison guards.
The Scottish Tories’ shadow community safety minister Russell Findlay has raised the drugs crisis issue with Brown four times in recent weeks.
Findlay, who posted a video from outside Shotts yesterday, said: "Nine men have died in Shotts this year while multiple inmates fell ill over the weekend through drugs use.
"It’s only a matter of time before yet more prisoners leave in body bags."
The Scottish Prison Service said: "There have been a number of incidents over the weekend where prisoners required hospital attention."
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