Inmate’s new TV stuffed with drugs

A federal inmate has been moved to a maximum-security prison after fentanyl, crystal meth, cannabis and cellphones were found hidden inside a television mailed to him in prison.

The care package sent to Theshanth Thavakularatnam at Bath Institution, outside Kingston, Ont., included a TV and personal items. The return address on the package was his family’s home, according to court documents.

It arrived last May. An examination of the items in the package by prison staff uncovered undeclared items hidden inside the TV.

Prison officials assessed its “institutional value” at $50,000.

The find was reported to police and triggered an internal review of Thavakularatnam’s security classification.

The contraband discovery “was a major source of concern for the Institution, as the illicit trafficking in these items can jeopardize the security and safety of CSC institution,” an internal prison record says.

He is serving a sentence of just under three years and 10 months for gun and ammunition convictions, armed robbery and aggravated assault.

Thavakularatnam admitted he was expecting the package with the TV, but said he didn’t know there would be contraband inside.

The warden reclassified Thavakularatnam to a higher security level, requiring a transfer to a more secure facility.

Despite his objections, he was moved to Millhaven Institution, a maximum-security prison next door.

In an attempt to return to a medium-security prison, Thavakularatnam filed a habeas corpus application in Ontario Superior Court of Justice asking a court judge to assess the lawfulness of a detention or other deprivation of liberty. He claimed his security reclassification was unfair and unreasonable.

On Monday, Judge Kristin Muszynski disagreed, upholding the transfer and ordering Thavakularatnam to pay the government $500 in legal fees.