WEAPONS, DRUGS, DEBT SHEETS FOUND

Matsqui Institution, a medium security jail for men in Abbotsford, has
been locked down since Monday.

"We are anticipating a return to routine operations [today]," said
assistant warden Randie Scott.

Scott said the lock down at Matsqui was initiated to allow a
wide-scale of the premises after staff uncovered stashes of home-made
weapons, drugs and debt sheets.

We also came across inmates displaying intimidating behaviour to other
inmates, Scott said.

He said the search and lock down were not measures the institution
undertook lightly, and were only instigated if circumstances merit
it.

"It restricts what residual freedoms the inmates would otherwise
enjoy, such as freedom of association," he said.

Scott said the search had uncovered some edged weapons and flaps of
what appear to be heroin cocaine.

One weapon had been fashioned out a piece of sharpened metal from a
filing cabinet.

Scott said although scheduled private family visits continued through
the week regular scheduled visits were suspended.

This is the second lock down at Matsqui since January.

The institution is operated by the Correctional Service of Canada and
has 354 inmates.