Skip to content

Lockdown at Mountain continues

Visits to Agassiz area prison cancelled until further notice

Mountain Institution in Agassiz remains in lockdown Monday morning, while staff members conduct a search for contraband.

The lockdown was put in place Friday at 4:30 p.m., and means that no visits are allowed until it has been lifted.

Correctional Service of Canada said regular activities will resume at the medium security federal institution once it is considered safe to do so.

Trouble at Kent

And earlier this month, at neighbouring Kent Institution, a visitor was intercepted while attempting to bring contraband into the prison.

That seizure occurred on Nov. 22, CSC said, and  was the result of the combined efforts of correctional officers and detector-dog team. The contraband seized included steroid substances. The total institutional value of this seizure is estimated at $2,500.

The visitor was arrested by the Agassiz RCMP and may be facing criminal charges.

CSC said they use a number of tools to prevent drugs from entering its institutions. These tools include ion scanners and drug-detector dogs to search buildings, personal property, inmates and visitors.

CSC has set up a telephone tip line for all federal institutions so that it may receive additional information about activities relating to security at CSC institutions. These activities may be related to drug use or trafficking that may threaten the safety and security of visitors, inmates and staff members working at CSC institutions.

The toll-free number, 1‑866‑780‑3784, helps ensure that the information shared is protected and that callers remain anonymous.