Washington County corrections officers seize contraband drugs in packages sent to inmates

COMSTOCK, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Officers handling mail at the Great Meadow Correctional Facility say they found illegal contraband—synthetic marijuana and Suboxone—in packages mailed to inmates at the maximum-security facility.

At about 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, an officer processing mailed-in crackers for an inmate noticed the four packages appeared overstuffed and felt inconsistent. Police say when the packages were opened, the officer discovered 12 plastic-wrapped bundles with 229 orange strips of Suboxone.

Mailed from downstate and confiscated as evidence, Suboxone can help treat narcotic dependence and lower the risk of fatal overdose by about 50%. Suboxone binds to the same receptors as opiates like heroin, morphine, and oxycodone, blunting intoxication, preventing cravings, and allowing addicts to transition into recovery. But while it causes less euphoria than other opiates, it can still be abused.

At about 12:30 p.m. on Monday, an officer was processing packages of oatmeal that appeared inconsistent. Police say, when the packages were opened, the officer found 3.5 ounces of a green, leafy substance that tested positive for synthetic marijuana, also called K2.

Police say the K2 was mailed from the Albany area. K2 can cause intense overdoses and usually consists of plant material coated by chemicals supposed to mimic THC, the psychoactive component in marijuana.

“Drug seizures at one of our state prisons is a daily occurrence that will continue until the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision implements the Secure Vendor Program,” says John Roberts, Northern Region Vice President of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association. “Staff does an excellent job every day detecting hidden drugs but they cannot stop every drug smuggled in.”

That potential measure aims to prevent contraband from entering prisons by working with vendors, limiting weight, and examining supply chains.

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