EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Ten people have been arrested and charged in connection with a drug and contraband ring operating within the Hidalgo County Detention Center in Lordsburg, New Mexico, according to the Sixth Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
The people who were arrested included both inmates and outside accomplices who allegedly served as distributors, runners and facilitators, the DA’s Office said.
The investigation began when a District Attorney’s Office investigator, while reviewing inmate phone calls for an unrelated case, identified suspicious conversations involving prison inmates and a detention center kitchen worker.
This discovery prompted a deeper investigation, revealing a broader criminal operation, the DA’s Office said.
Investigators uncovered a network responsible for smuggling drugs and contraband into the facility, the DA’s Office said.
District Attorney Norman Wheeler coordinated with the New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, New Mexico State Police and the Silver City Police Department on the arrests.
“This kind of activity, and the danger it brings, will not be tolerated,” Wheeler said. “Our rural communities deserve better. These individuals are accused of exploiting the prison system for personal gain, preying on incarcerated individuals, and profiting from criminal activity within a system meant to uphold justice.”
The case remains under active investigation, and additional charges may follow, the DA’s Office said.
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