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The FBI is cracking down on what it calls an “epidemic” of New Mexico prison drug smuggling involving fentanyl at a privately owned facility. The Cibola County Correctional Center is a facility that houses a combination of local detainees, persons apprehended by the US Marshals Service and those taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Violence and Drug Trafficking Behind Bars
Many think that putting criminals behind bars is a feasible answer to drug smuggling but the evidence suggests otherwise.
The Cibola Center is owned by CoreCivic which is a private government contractor. According to investigators CoreCivic has recently begun expanding immigrant detention centers due to the increased arrests made by ICE.
But receiving ICE detainees isn’t all Cibola is becoming known for. Law enforcement suspects that the facility, located about an hour west of Albuquerque, is experiencing a wave of violence and drug smuggling.
One of the disturbing findings is that staff members in New Mexico are implicated in the Cibola County Correctional Center.
Facing problems is nothing new to Cibola County. It has struggled with extensive drug smuggling reports, which pointed to guards being involved. Even more worrisome, the facility seems to have a staggering number of overdose deaths.
The drug smuggling is reported to be so severe that one agent in 2024 alleged that there was an epidemic occurring. Authorities also claim that CoreCivic employees were not only smuggling drugs into the prison but also helping detainees trade them.
Detainees in Danger
Informants at the facility have come forward to report correctional officers (COs). According to one affidavit, a CO hid methamphetamines and suboxone in his boots, allowing him to bypass security measures and store the drugs in a cell while pretending to perform a search.
These are not a few reports here and there. There are files containing hundreds of pages, including 911 call logs, police reports, FBI records, and more. By all accounts, it appears CoreCivic is struggling to operate a safe facility.
The investigation underscores the inherent danger of the current overcrowding situation in US correctional facilities and the particular threat those experiencing addiction face inside prison walls. It also shows the extensive work needed for appropriate medical and mental care and security for these inmates.
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