Associated Press
SANTA FE, N.M. — Correctional facilities around New Mexico were locked down Wednesday as part of an annual effort by state officials to crackdown on contraband, the state Department of Corrections announced.
In a statement, the department said the unannounced lockdown of the 11 prisons was intended to shakedown every housing unit, cell and inmate for the search.
Officials say the lockdown has no scheduled end date but will be lifted as each facility completes the required searches and security assessments.
Inmates found in possession of contraband will face disciplinary action, officials said.
Correction officials say inmates and their families have tried in recent years to smuggle Suboxone, a drug that treats opiate addiction, into prisons using various methods, such as on the back of stamps or in children’s coloring books. Officials said inmates use the drug or sell it to other prisoners.
New Mexico Corrections Department Secretary Gregg Marcantel said the lockdowns are part of periodic reviews aimed at safety and reducing recidivism rates.
Last year, correction officials said they found a watch phone on an inmate serving time for aggravated battery in a child abuse case.