Stony Mountain staff seize $360K of contraband, including fentanyl, meth at max security unit

Workers at Manitoba's Stony Mountain Institution seized a package containing more than $360,000 worth of contraband this week from the exercise yard in the prison's maximum security unit, Correctional Serviceof Canada says.

Inside the package were drugs including fentanyl, methamphetamine, marijuana, Percocet and Dilaudid(a brand name of a type of opioid medication), along with SIM cards, a knife tip, rolling papers and a hex bit key, the service said in a news release Friday.

The total estimated value is $362,444, the release says.

Staff found the package around 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Corrections Canada said.Police were notified and the institution is investigating.

The prison just outside Stony Mountain,roughly 25 kilometres north of Winnipeg, can accommodate up to 96 maximum security-rated inmates at a time. Maximum security inmates are those who are considered a greater risk to the public or requiring more supervision, Corrections Canada says on its website.

"Movement, association and privileges are very restricted," the site says.

The service is stepping up measures to keep contraband out of prisons, it said in the release. Measures already in placeinclude ion scanners and drug-detector dogs to search buildings, property, inmates and visitors.

It also operates a toll-free tip line,1-866-780-3784, which callers can use to report activities relating to security at prisons. Information shared is protected and callers remain anonymous, the service said in the release.