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Drugs dropped by drone spurred Ohio prison yard fight

The package dropped by the drone at the Mansfield Correctional Institution contained 5 ounces of tobacco, 2.3 ounces of marijuana and .23 ounces of heroin.

By Ben Hooper
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MANSFIELD, Ohio, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Authorities in Ohio said a fight in a prison yard was found to be spurred by a package of drugs dropped into the facility by a drone.

The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction said the drone flew over the north recreation yard at the Mansfield Correctional Institution July 27 and dropped a package containing 5 ounces of tobacco, 2.3 ounces of marijuana and .23 ounces of heroin believed to have been intended for an inmate.

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The package spurred a fight about 2:33 p.m. between nine inmates. The fight was broken up with no injuries and the fighters were placed in solitary confinement, officials said.

The drugs were seized by corrections officers.

Corrections spokeswoman JoEllen Smith said officials have previously had run-ins with drones, but she did not give any details of the incidents.

"Our agency's top security administrators are taking a broad approach to increase awareness and detection of unmanned aerial systems," Smith told the Columbus Dispatch.

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