Shakedown at Curry County jail

A cell phone, medication and a questionable substance were among items found during an early morning shakedown at the Curry County jail.

Around 7 a.m. Tuesday, sheriff’s officers along with jail personnel conducted the shakedown, according to a press release from the Curry County Adult Detention Center.

The search was initiated by county and jail administration, the release said.

Other items found included razor blades, a blood pressure cuff and a telephone cord.

Interim Administrator Carlos Ortiz said an unrecognizable clear powder was also located and collected for testing.

Ortiz said the shakedown is the first of many unannounced and random searches that will be conducted periodically to help eliminate contraband.

Ortiz said a narcotics dog may be used in future searches — it wasn’t used in this one — and other times it will be deputies and jail officers.

“That way everybody’s caught off guard,” he said. “Random catches a lot of stuff... I keep them guessing how were going to do it.”

Inmates were removed from their cells and all of their property searched in this latest shakedown, he said.