On Friday, an unknown package addressed to a prisoner arrived in the mail at the Sampson Correctional Institution. Inside that package was 805 grams of marijuana.

According to officials at the Clinton Police Department, the package arrived at the institution, located on U.S. 421 North in Clinton, Friday afternoon.

“It was wrapped in a package with no return address,” said Police Chief Jay Tilley. “Officials at the institute noticed that the marijuana was concealed inside more packing, intercepted it and immediately called us.”

The drugs were seized by investigators.

Tilley said detectives are trying to trace the postal codes and leads they have back to the person responsible for sending the drugs to the facility.

“It was sent legal mail so the party who sent it was not on the box,” he explained. “But we do have some good leads that we are following up.”

A message left to officials at the prison facility was not immediately returned Monday afternoon.

Although shipping drugs through the mail is a federal offense, Tilley said outsiders attempting to get items into the facility is nothing new.

“Just a few months back,we had some items being thrown over the fences there,” he acknowledged. “We get things like this from time-to-time, but I am not surprised people would try to mail it … The thing is, the officials at the Correctional Institute do such a good job, it is hard to get anything in.”

The penalty for trying to mail marijuana to a prison is harsh. The suspect in this case could be looking at 5-40 years in a federal prison if caught and convicted.

The U.S. Postal Service offers a $50,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of people trying to mail marijuana or other illegal substances via the U.S. mail system.

If you have any information on this case call 910-592-3105. To report a crime click on to www.usps.com.