ENTREPRENEURSHIP: Guards Ran Amazon.com for Prisoners; Sold Them Drugs, Took PayPal.

A three-year investigation by the FBI and Maryland’s U.S. Attorney revealed a sweeping Wednesday indictment against 80 correctional officers, inmates, and accomplices allegedly involved in massive smuggling ring in the state’s largest prison. Correctional officers kept many exchanges cash-free, handing out cell phones and asking inmates to purchase contraband using PayPal, the indictment reported. Other officers allegedly extorted inmates in sex-for-drug trades, and forced them to use contraband knives on inmates who threatened to snitch.

People in the know called contraband “donuts,” the indictment charged. The catch-all codeword encompassed cocaine, heroin, marijuana, a long menu of prescription pills, cell phones, pornography, and knives.

And for inmates on the guards’ good side, the racket meant good money.

Not even prison conditions can stop the power of black markets to deliver weapons, drugs, and porn to those who want them.

There might be a lesson in that.