A raccoon with a meth pipe in its mouth was found in the front seat of a car when police in Ohio conducted a traffic stop that led to the discovery of a woman’s supply of drugs.
Springfield Township Police pulled over Victoria Vidal, 55, on Monday for an active warrant and a suspended driver’s license, and the woman was detained, the department wrote on Facebook.
But when an officer returned to the vehicle, he made an unusual discovery: a raccoon named Chewy was sitting in the front seat with a glass meth pipe in its mouth.
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“Chewy had somehow gotten hold of a glass methamphetamine pipe, leading officers to further inspect the vehicle,” the police department wrote.
A search prompted by the discovery of the trash panda led officers to find a “bulk amount” of meth, as well as crack cocaine and three used glass meth pipes.
The raccoon was not injured in the incident, according to police.
“Thankfully, Chewy the raccoon was unharmed, and notification was made to the proper authorities to determine that she has the proper paperwork and documentation to own the raccoon,” police said.
In Ohio, it is legal for residents to own a raccoon with the proper paperwork and permits.
It is unclear where Chewy was taken or if the animal will be returned to Vidal.
“While our officers are trained to expect the unexpected, finding a raccoon holding a meth pipe is a first!” police said. “As always, we remain committed to keeping our community safe — no matter what surprises may come our way.”
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Vidal was charged with possession of drugs, three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and was cited for driving with a suspended license. Additional charges related to possession of crack cocaine will be presented to a grand jury pending lab results.
She was also handed over to Cuyahoga Falls Police on her active warrant.
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