BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – A large-scale shakedown at Louisiana’s maximum-security prison uncovered just a few illegal items, which officials say shows their efforts to rid facilities of contraband are working.
The state Department of Corrections says the operation at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola was held early Saturday and involved about 250 officers from state prisons and Probation and Parole districts across the state.
The search began around 4 a.m. Officers found beer, seven cellphones and a homemade tattoo gun. Officers also tested 200 inmates for drugs. All tests were negative.
Department of Public Safety and Corrections Secretary Jimmy LeBlanc says the state is making progress in its fight to rid state prisons of contraband, which puts staff and offenders at risk.
