Lexington County investigators have uncovered drugs, guns and murder for hire racketeers working from prison.

The Lexington County multi-agency narcotics team worked with federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents.

They uncovered illegal methamphetamine and weapons trafficking run inside and outside prison walls.

Those outside were members of the Insane Gangster Disciples, or IGD, a branch of the national gang Folk Nation.

Murder for hire, gangs, kidnapping, international drug trafficking and guns were part of a  “sprawling criminal enterprise,”

authorities said in releasing a 147-count indictment Thursday.

“The individuals in this indictment were responsible for trafficking $50 million worth of methamphetamine a year for the past 3 years,” said Assistant US Attorney Justin Holloway, the lead prosecutor.

“The indictments allege a sprawling criminal enterprise, whereby inmates in SCDC, often by means of contraband cell phones, orchestrated murder, kidnapping, firearms distribution and an international drug operation,” said US Attorney Peter McCoy.

“To anyone who would try to harm the people of South Carolina with violence, intimidation, extortion, we are coming after you, wherever you are. Neither pandemic nor prison walls will provide refuge from the full force of the federal government.”

The indictment names 40 defendants including 18 women.

It resulted from a 40-month investigation by dozens of law officers.

Most of the defendants have been arrested and are in custody.

35 of the 40 defendants face life in prison. 10 face murder charges.

Officials called it “largest federal racketeering conspiracy in South Carolina history,” whose tentacles  centered in Lexington County and the Upstate but stretched across the state.

Murder, armed robbery, arson, intimidation, money laundering and drug and firearems trafficking were involved.

Agents seized more than 130 firearms, including a fully-operational machine gun and 80 pounds of meth worth more than $4 million believed smuggled in from Mexico.

Meth is a highly addictive illegal drug that destroys the minds and bodies of its abusers.

The case started in July 2017 when prisons director Bryan Stirling was asked to run a counter intelligence operation inside the walls.

Prison inmate Kendrick Hoover was stabbed to death at Evans Correctional Institution March 1, 2017, by defendant Edward “Eddie Boss” Akridge, the indictment sreads.

According to the indictment:

•  Veteran gang members taught otheres to commit crimes including drug trafficking and money laundering.

•  Members used firearms and other weapons to attack others. 

•  Fear was used to keep victims and witnesses in line.

•  Members could be beaten if they failed to follow the rules.

“These allegations, the use of contraband cell phones within prison walls not only endangers the population of our prisons, the staff and administrators but every single community across South Carolina and beyond,” said Lance Crick, deputy chief over violent crimes in the US Attorney’s office.

“Contraband cell phones remain the main tool of murder and mayhem and it affects this entire state.”