B.C. federal prison locked down for 'exceptional search,' correctional service says

The Mission Correctional Institution in Mission, B.C. is pictured Tuesday, April 14, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Vancouver — A prison in B.C.'s Fraser Valley was placed in lockdown Thursday while corrections officers conducted an "exceptional search."

The lockdown at Mission Institution's medium security unit began at about 3:30 p.m., according to a news release from the Correctional Service of Canada.

"The search was ordered to ensure the safety and security of the institution, its staff and inmates," the service wrote in the release. "Normal operations will resume as soon as it is considered safe to do so."

The service also indicated that it had suspended video visits with inmates until the search was completed. It did not provide further information on the reason for the search or how long the lockdown was expected to last.

"The Correctional Service of Canada is committed to preventing the entry of contraband into its institutions," the service said in its release, adding that it "works in partnership with the police to take action against those who attempt to introduce contraband into correctional institutions."

CTV News Vancouver reached out to the correctional service on Saturday to inquire about whether the lockdown was still ongoing and seek more details on the situation. This story will be updated if a response is received.

Mission Institution's medium security unit gained notoriety in April, when it was the site of one of Canada's largest outbreaks of COVID-19 in a correctional facility. Roughly a third of all inmates tested positive during the outbreak, and one person died.