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.
