By Izaskun Larraneta
The Day
EAST LYME — The York Correctional Institution was placed on lock down Wednesday afternoon after a white, powdery substance was discovered in incoming mail sent to the facility.
Andrius Banevicius, spokesman for the Department of Correction, said the incident was reported at 12:20 p.m. He said while staff was inspecting mail, a plastic bag containing the powder substance was found.
He said the affected area was isolated, and the facility was placed on lock down.
State police from Troop E in Montville along with an official from the East Lyme Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene.
Banevicius said the mail room is located in one of the outbuildings not located on the main campus of the facility. He said it is standard protocol to inspect all incoming and outgoing mail.
Field testing of the unknown substance was inconclusive, he said.
State Police cleared the scene and the facility was returned to normal operations at 3 p.m.
There were no injuries reported as a result of this incident.
The Department of Correction and the state police are still investigating the incident.
No arrests have been made.