Prison sources said that the phones had been recovered with the help of metal detectors.
A raid on cells holding more than 150 LTTE suspects at the Magazine remand prison on Thursday night, yielded 36 satellite and other mobile phones buried in several places..
Prison sources said that the phones had been recovered with the help of metal detectors.
The operation which began at around 8.00 p.m. went on till about 10.00 pm. They suspect that the inmates may have received help from some prison officers.
On June 29, when police commandos stormed the Vavuniya prison to rescue three guards held hostage by the Tiger detainees there, they found 57 satellite and other mobile phones.
The police say the inmates had kept in touch with the LTTE activists living overseas.
They said a special police team and prison officials were now trying to identify the prison guards who collaborate with the LTTE suspects.
During raids from time to time, the authorities have so far recovered more than 100 satellite and other cell phones from the LTTE suspects, held at various detention centres, including Colombo, Anuradhapura, Galle, Negombo and Mahara prisons.
(Island)