Nearly 600 drug-use cases recorded in Iceland’s prisons

Nearly 600 cases involving inmates’ drug use were recorded at Iceland’s two prisons between 2020 and 2025, mbl.is reports. The figures were provided by Minister of Justice Þorbjörg Sigríður Gunnlaugsdóttir in response to a parliamentary question from Nanna Margrét Gunnlaugsdóttir, a Centre Party MP.

There were 525 cases at Litla-Hraun prison and a further 57 at Hólmsheiði prison. Litla-Hraun recorded its highest number in 2021, with 123 cases, while Hólmsheiði recorded its highest figure in 2022, with 19 cases.

Drug use more widespread at Litla-Hraun

The minister said the problem was more widespread at Litla-Hraun, where it was more difficult to prevent drugs from entering the prison. Hólmsheiði is a purpose-built prison, offering better opportunities to limit the flow of drugs.

Violations of rules on addictive and narcotic substances can result in disciplinary measures. They can also affect inmates’ eligibility for day and family leave, as well as their opportunities to serve sentences in open prisons.

The minister said the authorities had sufficient legal powers to respond to and prevent drug use in the country’s prisons. However, she said it had proved difficult to maintain a complete separation between individuals and groups at Litla-Hraun, the country’s largest prison.

As a result, it was harder there than elsewhere to curb the spread of drugs, and almost impossible to prevent it entirely. The situation made treatment work more difficult, negatively affected the safety of inmates and staff, and increased the likelihood of violence inside the prison, according to the response.

The response said a new prison at Stóra-Hraun would make it easier to address the problem.

Litla-Hraun has a treatment unit and provides daily support to inmates who want to address addiction problems. In other prisons, inmates can receive support counselling from staff in the Prison and Probation Administration’s treatment division or from a prison mental health team when they have co-occurring problems.