Officials Conduct Massive Correctional Center Sweep For Contraband

SACRAMENTO COUNTY (CBS13) --  In a massive sweep at a Sacramento County Jail, officials flushed out hidden drugs and weapons.

"The criminal sophistication is much higher," says Karlene Doupe, Sacramento Sheriff's Department.

In recent years, the Rio Consumnes Jail has become home to not only county inmates, but criminals in jail for much more violent crimes.

"We have about 500 state prisoners here, and we also have those prisoners who are in route to state prison," explains Doupe.

The prisoners who are housed at Rio Consumnes have experience of getting around the system, and passing knowledge down to others.

"They're looking for narcotics that may have made its way into here," says Doupe.

CBS13 followed officers as they swept the jail in the county's largest shakedown, leafing through books, searching beds for mail and for searching for smuggled contraband.

Officers from different agencies rushed in the jail at 8:30 a.m. to start the process, but the sweep took all day to conduct.

"We have spoons, bowls that become unaccounted for and we need to recoup those. And really, spoons are shanks waiting to happen," says Doupe.

Shanks, not only made of spoons, but toothbrushes and playing cards were uncovered in this massive sweep, as well as drugs and other weapons.

But more importantly, they discovered insight that gives jail staff an inside look at how inmates communicate and what they're up to.

"Stay ahead of them or at least catch up and gather our own intelligence so we can try and make this a better place," Doupe tells CBS13.

More investigations could also open up after the shakedown. Authorities say they're looking into why inmates were watching officers closely and recording their every move.