Raid nets cellphones, tobacco, other illegal items at prison

DEKALB, Miss. (AP) - Another raid at a Mississippi prison has turned up a myriad of illegal items.

Authorities say inmates at the Kemper-Neshoba County Correctional Facility in DeKalb were awakened Wednesday by officers looking for contraband.

Officers found 25 cellphones, 18 cellphone chargers, five cellphone batteries, five pairs of earbuds, 66 bags of tobacco ranging in size from small to large, 58 small packs of marijuana and spice, one medium bag of spice, three large packs of suspected spice and marijuana and 17 pills.

Also, a large amount of canteen items were confiscated from one inmate for their possible use for extortion.

Operation Zero Tolerance started in March in an effort to stop the flow of contraband in the prison system for the safety of staff and inmates.