ST. GABRIEL - A myriad of drugs, cell phones and homemade weapons were among the contraband seized by corrections officers during a sweeping early-morning search of Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in Iberville Parish. It comes in the wake of several WBRZ Investigative Unit reports detailing problems at the facility.

The Department of Corrections said they found 100 cell phones during the search of the prison around 3:45 a.m. Thursday. Guards also uncovered 60 shanks, homemade beer and several kinds of drugs, including marijuana, ecstasy and crystal meth.

The following items were found. 

-one pound, 4.55 ounces of marijuana

-5.45 ounces of synthetic marijuana

-6.75 ounces of crystal meth

-.6 ounces of ecstasy pills

-38 suboxone strips

-23 sheets of synthetic paper marijuana

-77 assorted pills

-four packs of rolling papers

-three packs of cigars

-two scales

-60 homemade weapons (shanks)

-100 cellphones

-60 cellphone chargers

-three sim cards

-29 cigarette lighters

-three gallons of homemade beer

On Wednesday, WBRZ also reported on the suspicious circumstances surrounding a fire at the prison last month. The Investigative Unit obtained a recording of a 911 call between prison staff and emergency dispatchers in which Elayn Hunt supervisors asked for police not to show up. 

The department said roughly 130 officers participated in the search on Thursday. About 200 inmates were also drug tested as part of the crackdown.