Surprise contraband crackdowns continue in Oklahoma prisons

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Surprise crackdowns on Oklahoma prison contraband continue as officials announce a recent raid pulled in drugs and banned cellphones from inmates at Jefferson County Detention Center.

A strike force with the Department of Corrections on Tuesday seized 31 cellphones, nearly a half-pound of marijuana or synthetic marijuana, two grams of methamphetamine and other contraband, according to a Thursday statement. The strike force has conducted four unannounced prison searches since Jan. 7, four days before Joe Allbaugh took over as director of the department.

Allbaugh says in the statement the raids – which use cellphone-detection technology, trained dogs and deep-tissue scanners – will continue. He warns prisoners caught with contraband will be punished and people caught smuggling contraband to prisoners will be prosecuted.