The South Dakota Department of Corrections is claiming victory over an alleged drug smuggling ring operating in its state prisons, but certain details about the bust remain limited.

DOC Secretary Kellie Wasko announced in a May 29 press release that state authorities busted an apparent "ring of drug smuggling coming into state prison facilities through an internal investigation."

"We are stopping the flow of drugs into our prison facilities. My team has worked collaboratively with the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) to achieve this," Wasko stated. "We have identified and stopped methods used to introduce dangerous contraband that had a direct effect on the overdose deaths."

Three inmates have died as a "direct result" of drug overdoses, according to the DOC release, though they

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