Prison authorities are continuing a detailed search of a prison in Western Australia's South West following the discovery of a significant amount of illicit drugs and drug paraphernalia.
Staff at Bunbury Regional Prison found "a crystalline substance", leaf material, and as yet unknown fluid, needles, and syringes in a metal pipe in the prison's workshop, prompting the raid that began on Saturday.
Police dogs, Special Operations and the Drug Detection Unit have also been deployed to continue the search.
A second quantity of drugs and contraband has since been discovered.
WA's Corrective Services Minister Fran Logan told the ABC five inmates have been transferred from the prison and were assisting police with inquiries.
Lockdown to stay in place
WA's Corrective Services Commissioner Tony Hassall said the prison will remain under full lockdown as the search continues.
"We will continue to deploy all resources available to conduct random and targeted searches and drug testing in the prison," Commissioner Hassall said.
"There will be consequences for prisoners or any person found to have been involved in the supply and distribution of illicit drugs."
Commissioner Hassall said the department's professional standards unit were already onsite to determine how the illicit products were bought in to the prison.
"We will take any action that we need to as a result of that investigation," the commissioner said, adding the appropriate charges would be laid once the offending person or persons were determined.
"There is a range of sanctions that we can apply, which includes banning visitors, transferring prisoners out, and changing security classifications," Commissioner Hassall said.
"We will use all those sanctions that are at our disposal to deal with the issues that we have found here this week."
