Louisiana Department of Corrections officials have conducted a shakedown raid at a Covington work-release facility that houses state inmates.
The facility's director said 19 inmates were sent back to St. Tammany Parish Jail for violating state regulations.
Director Lester Mitchell said Sunday morning's shakedown was the second at the facility in the last two weeks.
Northshore Workforce Solutions, the privately owned company that runs the program, has been the subject of recent reports by WWL-TV and The New Orleans Advocate that have focused on allegations of lax oversight at the facility, including two drug-related deaths of inmates.
Sunday's search turned up drug screening violations and contraband.