By Fox23.com News Staff
OKLAHOMA — Oklahoma Department of Corrections employees seized more than $18.6 million in contraband in 2025.
ODOC said the seizures are part of ongoing efforts to protect staff, inmates and the public, and to disrupt illegal activity inside state correctional facilities.
Resulting from joint efforts by facility staff and the Office of the Inspector General, contraband was confiscated from inmates, staff members and individuals attempting to smuggle illegal items into facilities through visits, drones, perimeter drops and other methods.
In 2025, ODOC confiscated:
- Methamphetamine: 48 pounds – Estimated prison value: $2,177,243
- Marijuana: 261 pounds – Estimated prison value: $1,657,427
- THC wax: 50 pounds – Estimated prison value: $317,515
- Fentanyl: 7 pounds – Estimated prison value: $1,905,090
- Tobacco: 1,614 pounds – Estimated prison value $483,185
- K2 (synthetic cannabinoids): 27 pounds – Estimated prison value: $2,755,573 (Depending on paper type, this equals roughly 500 to 2,700 sheets, with 93 dosage units per letter-sized sheet.)
- Cell phones: 6,715 devices – Estimated prison value: $9,401,000
- Improvised weapons: 3,478 items
- Total seized value: $18,697,033
“These seizures represent thousands of opportunities to prevent violence, overdoses and criminal activity inside our facilities,” said ODOC Director Justin Farris. “They also reflect the constant vigilance of our staff and investigators who work every day to identify threats and stop contraband before it causes harm.”
ODOC also arrested 83 people in 2025 for trying to bring contraband into correctional facilities.
Of those arrests, 42 involved visitors aiming to smuggle contraband during visits. ODOC said 14 staff members were arrested for attempting to introduce contraband.
Contraband remains one of the most significant threats to safety inside correctional facilities, contributing to violence, drug trafficking and organized criminal activity, ODOC said.
ODOC said it continues to strengthen interdiction efforts through intelligence-led investigations, enhanced searches, partnerships with law enforcement and the use of evolving security technology.
Digital mail was introduced in September 2024 and in September 2025, all outside paper products were banned across the facilities to help prevent the entry of K2 and other contraband.
This rule applied to staff, visitors and volunteers and has been effective, ODOC said.
The agency is now exploring options to convert legal mail to a digital format while maintaining require privacy protections.
“Every seizure matters. Removing contraband protects our employees, supports safer facilities, and reinforces our responsibility to the public. Keeping contraband out of our facilities is a tremendous battle, and our staff does an excellent job,” said Director Farris.
ODOC said it remains committed to aggressive contraband enforcement, transparency and continuous improvement to maintain secure environments statewide to build a stronger Oklahoma.
You can find more information on the Oklahoma Department of Corrections by clicking here.
