Auckland Prison, in Poremoremo on Auckland's North Shore, was sent into lockdown after the incident.

Auckland Prison was forced into lockdown after several prisoners were thought to have drunk homebrew.

Corrections said eight prisoners were moved from low security to maximum security lock-ups, after it was suspected they ingested a concoction of rotting fruit, sugar and water on Wednesday.

Jeanette Burns, Northern Regional Commissioner, said the prisoners would be charged with misconduct and faced cell confinement and losing their privileges.

"The prisoners are suspected to have ingested homebrew. They will be assessed by prison health staff, and will remain under observation," she said.

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The lockdown was required to enable staff from other units to help move the offending prisoners and conduct searches.

"Staff are currently carrying out searches of the unit. The situation is under control," Burns said.

She said homebrew could be made using rotting fruit, water, sugar and a plastic bag.

"Those who consume it can become very unwell, or act aggressively or unpredictably, creating a dangerous environment for our staff and other prisoners.

"In recent years we have restricted the number of pieces of fruit that prisoners can purchase to prevent it from being stockpiled, and we've also reduced prisoner access to containers and plastic bags that could be used to hold the substance."

She said during cell searches, staff were encouraged to remove all items that could be used to make homebrew, and check the contents of all containers such as shampoo bottles.

The incident sent the prison, in Paremoremo on Auckland's North Shore, into lockdown during the day. But it was understood to be operating normally by Wednesday evening.

The prison has experienced a number of troubles in recent months.

A campaign of "organised violence" by gang member inmates against guards led to dozens of staff calling in sick in June.

Just days before, a staff member was giving a prisoner a mop and bucket to clean his cell when the inmate punched them in the face without warning.

Burns said at the time it was the latest in a string of assaults at the prison.