Maricopa County inmates hid fentanyl inside battery, socks, a 'body cavity': MCSO

PHOENIX - Nearly 500 fentanyl pills were seized from newly booked inmates at a Maricopa County jail facility over the course of several days, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

Five incidents were recently reported at the county's Intake, Transfer and Release facility near 27th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road.

In the first incident, authorities inspected an AA battery that fell from an inmate's pocket and found six pills.

Another 70 pills were found on two occasions during a routine search of inmates.

Officials say a female inmate was found with 200 pills in her body. They searched her after two blue pills reportedly fell out of her during a urine test.

"Initially, 150 pills were found and CHS sent her to the ER as a precaution," officials said. "Once at the hospital, she consented to a medical body cavity search where 50 additional pills were located inside her, which had already started to dissolve."

The most recent case happened on Feb. 12 after an inmate was caught trying to hide 200 pills into his MCSO-issued socks.

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Suspected fentanyl pills were found inside a battery, socks, and a woman's "body cavity" at the Maricopa County Intake, Transfer and Release Facility.