The Intelligence/K9 Unit of the Snohomish County Jail collaborated with detectives Friday, Dec. 13, to intercept and seize a delivery of narcotics being brought to a 35-year-old male inmate at the Snohomish County Jail.

A social worker arrived for a scheduled visit with the male inmate on that Friday afternoon and brought a package of papers that had been marked on the outside as legal documents. However, information came to light earlier that the package would contain prescription opiates.

When the social worker arrived for the visit, she was detained for questioning and the parcel was examined in the presence of the male inmate. A search of the parcel and papers showed at least nine sublingual strips of what is suspected to be the subscription opiate Suboxone, which are commonly sought after and abused in correctional settings. The social worker was not arrested or charged with any crimes for this incident.

In the previous week, Dec. 5 a 39-year-old male inmate brought a larger supply of similar opiate strips as well as methamphetamine into the jail after returning from a temporary release. These, too, were found and confiscated by the Intelligence/K9 Unit before they could be circulated in the jail.

This is an open investigation, and no further details can be provided at this time.