Illegal drugs found at Whitfield mental hospital, sparking K-9 sweeps, roadblocks

By Michael Goldberg | Originally published by Mississippi Today

Multiple bags of illegal drugs and contraband were found last week at the Mississippi State Hospital in Whitfield.

The discovery prompted K-9 units to descend on the hospital and law enforcement agents have conducted roadblocks and vehicle inspections upon entry and exit of the campus. It has also sparked an ongoing investigation by the facility’s police force and investigators with the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

Mississippi Today was provided photos of bags of pills and powdered substances, what appeared to be a large bag of marijuana, lighters, wrapping papers and electronic devices.

While the smuggling of drugs and contraband has been a long-running problem inside Mississippi prisons, the discovery of these substances at Mississippi’s largest public psychiatric facility is more uncommon.

In a statement to Mississippi Today, Adam Moore, a spokesperson for the Mississippi Department of Mental Health, said the contraband was not located near any patients or patient areas of the campus. He also said the agency did not believe any drugs were used by or distributed to patients at the hospital, but how the contraband entered the facility or who may be responsible remains under investigation.

“MSH and other DMH programs treat people with the most intense and severe needs. Our highest concern is the safety of the people we serve and supporting their recovery and resiliency. If it is discovered that any hospital staff was involved in this event, we will take appropriate action immediately,” Moore said. “We will continue to implement any necessary measures to maintain patient and staff safety.”

While the investigation is ongoing, Moore suggested the source of the drugs could be linked to participants in a re-entry program that allows people to leave facilities and work with the grounds and maintenance crews at Whitfield.

The drugs were discovered last week after hospital staff found a suspicious package believed to be contraband in an area of the Mississippi State Hospital campus that is designated for Mississippi Department of Corrections inmate work programs only, Moore said.

The Central Mississippi Correctional Facility in Rankin County is just over a mile away from Whitfield, and allows some prisoners to participate in the program. The prison has also been investigated for alleged overdose deaths of prisoners. The possibility that the drugs came from a participant in the re-entry program has not been confirmed. In a statement, Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner Burl Cain did not offer additional details, but said the agency would make a statement following an investigation.

“The MDOC is aware of the contraband seizure, and once the investigation is completed, the MDOC will make a statement,” Cain said.

When the package was found at the Whitfield hospital, the only identifiable contraband was two cellphones, Moore said. Hospital police then secured the room and contacted the Department of Corrections because the agency “has jurisdiction over areas where inmates work,” Moore said.

The Corrections Department sent K-9 units to the hospital and took custody of the suspected contraband. Hospital staff did not open the package or photograph its contents, Moore said. Corrections officials later reported to hospital staff that the package contained various illegal substances.

The photos show a bag of what appears to be marijuana on a scale that displays a weight of 460 grams, or just over 1 pound. That quantity of marijuana could be worth thousands of dollars. The photos also show bags of unidentified pills, powdered substances and “SIM devices,” which could be linked to illegal phones.

After the drugs were discovered, the prisoners were taken off hospital grounds. The work program partnership with the Corrections Department “has been suspended until further notice to ensure the safety of our patients and staff,” Moore said.

“We have a zero tolerance policy for illegal contraband on MSH campus,” Moore added.

This article was originally published by Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Source: Original Article