ADOC Conducts Major Contraband Raid of an Alabama Prison

UNION SPRINGS, Ala.-- Alabama Department of Corrections announces more than 300 law enforcement officials began a major search of Bullock County Correctional Facility on Thursday morning.

The predawn operation began at 4:00 a.m. and is recovering an assortment of makeshift weapons, contraband cell phones and drugs in the prison which confines more than 1,500 inmates.

Assisting agencies included the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s K-9 Unit, Alabama Emergency Management Agency, and the Alabama Department of Transportation. Additional support for Thursday’s operation came from the Lee and Russell County Sheriff’s Offices and from the Auburn, Opelika and Eufaula Police Departments.

The search recovered 283 makeshift weapons, 71 contraband cellphones, 792 grams of synthetic drugs, and 416 pills or suboxone strips.

“The ADOC is dedicated to eradicating contraband inside its facilities,” said Investigations and Intelligence Director, Arnaldo Mercado. “With the assistance of our partnering agencies, we will continue to successfully collaborate and conduct joint operations to remove contraband and create a safer environment for the staff and offenders in our prisons.

This is ADOC’s seventh major joint operation since February in a deliberate move to find and eliminate contraband that is the leading cause for crime and violence inside state prisons.

A statement announcing the final contraband count will be released following the conclusion of Thursday’s search.

The public should contact the ADOC Investigations and Intelligence Division at 1-866-293-7799 with information that may lead to the arrest of anyone attempting to introduce illegal contraband into state prisons. The public may also report suspicious activity by going to the ADOC Website at http://www.doc.alabama.gov/investigationrequest.

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