Every scrap of paper checked: Police hunting for synthetic drugs in Chicago jail
Summary
Cook County Jail in Chicago saw an increase in inmate deaths from drug overdoses in 2023, with eight fatal cases reported. Police discovered that synthetic drugs were being smuggled into the jail by soaking them into paper such as book pages and letters.Key Facts
- Cook County Jail is the largest jail in the United States.
- Normally, the jail has one or two overdose deaths per year, but in 2023 there were eight.
- Inmates were previously found bringing drugs in their body cavities, so the jail uses body scanners like those at airports.
- New smuggling methods involve sending synthetic drugs soaked in paper mailed into the jail.
- Synthetic drugs can be made in the US from common household items.
- Authorities conducted raids in high security areas to find these drugs.
- Security cameras recorded inmates having seizures from synthetic drug use.
- A former inmate and drug dealer explained how production of synthetic drugs inside the US could reduce demand for outside drugs.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
