Latest news with #NationalAnimalHealthService
Daily Mirror
21-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
'Drug-smuggling cat' caught trying to sneak into prison with heroin backpack
The black-and-white cat was spotted as it attempted to clamber over a barbed-wire lined fence in Pococi, Costa Rica, with a backpack full of packages of cannabis and heroin A cat caught sneaking into a prison was attempting to smuggle nearly half a kilogram of cannabis and heroin behind bars in a makeshift backpack. The mischievous moggy was apprehended in Costa Rica as it attempted to gain entry to the Pococi Penitentiary in Pococi by clambering over the facility's fence. The Costa Rican Ministry of Justice said in a social media post that the would-be drug mule was caught with several packets of drugs, including 236 grams of cannabis and around 68 grams of heroin. Prison guards have said they believe the cat was attempting to smuggle drugs to inmates. Andress Gutierrez, head of the Panama Penitentiary system, said the cat was found with "a cloth tied around its neck" with packages inserted inside. The packages contained white powder, leaves and "vegetable matter", he said, with an official statement from the Ministry of Justice adding the cat was discovered as it attempted to vault a barbed wire lined fence. An English translation of the statement read: "An officer stationed at one of the forts spotted the animal in the green zone and immediately raised the alarm." The statement added that the cat was caught "thanks to the swift actions of the responding officers" and that its packages were removed before they could reach their intended destination. A video of the captured suspect showed the cat being taken down from its fence perch and carefully handled as officials cut off its makeshift backpack. They later handed the cat over to the National Animal Health Service for an evaluation after the drugs were cut free from its body. According to local reports, prisoners are known to use animals to transport drugs by luring them with food into their cells after they have been loaded with packages. Prison officials are now reviewing CCTV footage as they investigate where the cat came from, and where it was likely being lured to while equipped with the drugs. The unusual incident and video of the cat's hijinks sparked a spirited conversation online, with social media users poking fun while condemning prisoners for taking advantage of the cat. One social media user joked: "How many years cat got." And another quipped: "Hope the judge showed the cat some leniency." One user joked the cat was making a Breaking Bad-style decision. They said: "He's actually doing this to pay for his veterinarian treatment in America." Others were more outraged and concerned for the cat's welfare, with one person saying: "Poor kitty! I'll bet the intended recipient of its cargo wouldn't have been that careful in removing the drugs!"
The Sun
20-05-2025
- The Sun
Watch as cops seize cat with crack cocaine taped to it after gang tried to smuggle drugs into prison using cute kitty
HILARIOUS footage has emerged showing the moment cops seized a cute cat trying to enter a prison with crack cocaine taped to its body. The grey and white moggy was spotted climbing over a fence into a jail in Costa Rica, with the drugs wrapped around its belly. 5 5 5 Footage released by the state's Ministry of Justice and Peace shows two prison guards stopping the cat, thwarting an inmate's plot to smuggle drugs into jail. While one holds it firmly but gently, the other uses scissors to cut the two packages of drugs loose-wrapped in black plastic and stuck fast with industrial tape. Inside the packets, officers found 235g of marijuana and nearly 70g of crack cocaine paste. The package also included sheets of paper for rolling joints. It is understood that inmates had befriended and fed the cat with scraps so it would return to their cell. A drug dealer is understood to have tapped the package outside the prison before sending the moggy inside. Prison officials and police are investigating the case and say the cat has been handed over to the National Animal Health Service. A Justice Ministry spokesperson said: "This is a new method that shows the creativity and cruelty of those trying to break the law." It is just one of the unique ways criminals and drug dealers try to smuggle narcotics inside prison. Local media reports that since 2015, prison officials in Costa Rica have intercepted at least seven attempts to traffic contraband into prisons using cats, dogs and carrier pigeons. A few years ago, a pigeon was caught smuggling 178 ecstasy pills to a prison in Kuwait in a tiny backpack that was taped to its body. Cops tracked the bent bird as it flew from neighbouring Iraq and swooped as it crossed the border. Amazingly, it was wearing a tiny pouch that appears to have been taped or sewed onto its back and contained 178 pills, reports Al Arabiya. It wasn't immediately clear exactly what kind of pills the feathered fiend was packing. In 2015, guards at a Costa Rican prison caught a pigeon flying drugs into the slammer. The bird, carrying 14 grams of cocaine and cannabis, was spotted flying close to the jail in a bid by smugglers to sneak the drugs in. Police in San Jose, Costa Rica, captured the bird on a patio outside and hauled it in before it made it over the medium-security prison's walls. A picture of the bird with a cable strapped to its leg to stop it escaping was posted by officers appealing for information about the incident. 5 5
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Daily Mail
'Narco cat' with crack cocaine and marijuana strapped to it caught smuggling drugs into prison
Prison guards have discovered a 'narco cat' roaming around a Costa Rican jail with marijuana and crack strapped to its body. According to a statement on Facebook from the country's Ministry Of Justice, officers at the Pococi Penitentiary spotted the unlikely smuggler on prison grounds on May 6 before capturing it. Prison staff were suspicious of gray patches they spotted on the feline's fur and decided to take a closer look. The odd looking patches turned out to be bags filled with narcotics - including a bag containing 236 grams of marijuana, and another containing 86 grams of crack cocaine. Footage shows the moment prison officers spotted and caught the feline felon as it climbed a tree on prison grounds. A separate clip shows how authorities carefully removed the illegal substances from the cat's body. Once removed from the animal the drugs were seized by authorities and the cat was handed over to the National Animal Health service for an evaluation. The Free Press Journal reported that it is common for animals to be used to smuggle narcotics into Costa Rican prisons. Prisoners reportedly use food to lure the animals to them after they have been loaded with drugs by people on the outside. The incident comes four years after authorities in Panama intercepted a fluffy white cat carrying an assortment of drugs in a pouch tied to its body as it tried to enter a prison. The animal was stopped outside the Nueva Esperanza jail, which houses more than 1,700 prisoners, in the Caribbean province of Colon, located north of the capital Panama City, in 2021. At the time, Andres Gutierrez, head of the Panama Penitentiary System said: 'The animal had a cloth tied around its neck' that contained wrapped packages of white powder, leaves and 'vegetable matter.' Officials confirmed that they were likely cocaine, crack, and marijuana. The 'narco cat' incidents come after the country's president, Rodrigo Chaves, took another step in his shift toward a tough-on-crime stance, announcing plans to build a new prison modelled on the maximum security prison in El Salvador. In addition to building a new prison, Chaves said small shops selling things inside existing prisons would be shut down. He also said permission for conjugal visits would be restricted and authorities would tighten the ability of families to bring food to inmates. The restrictions were aimed at stopping drugs being brought into prisons and other illicit activities.
NDTV
20-05-2025
- NDTV
Cat Found Sneaking Ganja, Cocaine Into Costa Rican Prison. How It Was Caught
Authorities in Costa Rica have intercepted an unlikely smuggler, a black-and-white cat with drugs taped to its body. The feline was caught outside the Pococi Penitentiary on May 6, after the guards noticed grey patches on its fur as it moved near the prison's barbed wire fence. Upon capture, they discovered around 236 grams of marijuana, about 68 grams of heroin, and rolling papers strapped to its back. The Costa Rican Ministry of Justice and Peace released a video of the incident on Facebook. "On the night of Tuesday, agents from the Prison Police at Pococi Prison managed to rescue a kitten that had two drug packages taped to its body. An officer stationed in one of the watchtowers spotted the animal in a grassy area and immediately raised the alarm," the ministry wrote in the caption. "Thanks to the swift actions of the responding officers, the cat was captured and the packages were removed, preventing them from reaching their intended destination. Upon inspection of the packages, one was found to contain 235.65 grams of suspected marijuana, while the other held 67.76 grams of suspected crack paste, along with two sheets of rolling paper," it added. The cat was later handed over to the National Animal Health Service for a health evaluation. The officials are currently investigating the identity of the perpetrator and whether an outside accomplice, maybe with the help of prisoners, released the cat close to the facility. Authorities are analysing surveillance footage and tracking the cat's movements to identify patterns that could lead to arrests. The case shows how most criminals smuggle illegal goods into prisons via animals. Cats, in particular, due to their stealth and ability to move unnoticed, have been used in these schemes. Cats that are lured inside the prison premises by food or taught behaviour often have tiny quantities of narcotics attached to them by inmates or their outside collaborators. Costa Rica has seen an increase in crime and drug trafficking in recent years. In 2023 alone, authorities confiscated a total of 21.3 tons of cocaine in the country.
Indian Express
20-05-2025
- Indian Express
‘Stop abusing animals': Cat nabbed smuggling drugs into Costa Rica prison, video goes viral
Prison guards at the Pococí Penitentiary in Costa Rica recently nabbed an unusual smuggler: a black-and-white cat with drugs taped to its body. The bizarre incident has drawn widespread attention. According to a Facebook post by Costa Rica's Ministry of Justice, guards noticed the cat behaving oddly as it moved near the prison's barbed wire fence. When they captured the animal, they discovered two tightly wrapped packages with marijuana, heroin, and rolling papers. The drugs were confiscated, and the feline, nicknamed 'Narcomichi' by social media users, was handed over to the National Animal Health Service for a check-up to ensure it wasn't harmed, the BBC reported. 'On the night of Tuesday, agents from the Prison Police at Pococí Prison managed to rescue a kitten that had two drug packages taped to its body. An officer stationed in one of the watchtowers spotted the animal in a grassy area and immediately raised the alarm,' the Costa Rica's Ministry of Justice wrote on Facebook. 'Thanks to the swift actions of the responding officers, the cat was captured and the packages were removed, preventing them from reaching their intended destination. Upon inspection of the packages, one was found to contain 235.65 grams of suspected marijuana, while the other held 67.76 grams of suspected crack paste, along with two sheets of rolling paper,' it added. The prison police have seized the drugs for a legal process, and coordinated with SENASA (National Animal Health Service) to ensure the cat received proper care. The ministry commended the quick action of the guards, noting that their vigilance 'prevented these substances from reaching the prison population.' Officials have now launched an investigation to trace the criminal network behind the operation, suggesting that the smuggling attempt was likely part of a larger, coordinated effort. Watch the viral video here: A post shared by BBC News (@bbcnews) Several social media users reacted to the incident, demanding that the cat be protected. 'What happened to the cat! Free the cat!' a user wrote. 'This is so sad. Stop abusing animals,' another user commented. 'Please make sure he is taken cared of that's abuse,' a third user reacted. 'We got cats smuggling before gta 6. Never forget,' a fourth user commented. Authorities believe the cat was deliberately trained or manipulated to serve as a courier, possibly released near the prison by someone involved in the trafficking ring. According to a report in The Tico Times, Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves Robles unveiled plans days ago to build a new maximum-security prison modelled after El Salvador's controversial CECOT facility, part of his broader tough-on-crime strategy.
