In an event that could be described as unusual, the police in Uttar Pradesh, in India, denounced that a group of rats ate almost 600 kilos of marijuana seized in different operations.
The drug, which was confiscated in a job coordinated by the country’s authorities, was in custody at two police stations in that city; however, mysteriously disappeared, according to the Argentine media Clarin.
“Rats, even though they are small animals, are not afraid of the police,” the officers told the city court when they were questioned. In this way, the local police tried to evade their responsibility by blaming the rodents.
“Blame it on the rats”
The country’s justice system told the local press that the police had been asked to provide 386 kilos of cannabis as part of the evidence in a case, and indicated the guidelines to follow with the rest of the confiscated drugs.
But the prosecution assured that a total of 581 kilos of marijuana stored in various units in the city of Mathura were affected by the invasion of rats.
According to reports, 195 kilos of cannabis would have been consumed by rodents in one of the units, while 386 kilos that had been found in a smuggling van that was discovered in May 2020 disappeared at the other station.
“There is no safe place in the police station to keep the drugs and protect them from the rats,” The head of the Shergarh station, one of the units investigated, pointed out as a defense.
“There is a rat threat in almost every police station. Therefore, the necessary arrangements must be made to safeguard the cannabis that has been confiscated.” another officer detailed.
contradictions
In one of the statements after the first trial, Mathura City Police Superintendent Martand Prakash Singh stated that the drugs had been “destroyed by rains and floods” and not by the invasion of rats.
“There was no reference to rats in the (report submitted to the court) (…). The police only mentioned that the seized cannabis was destroyed by rains and floods.” indicated the authority.
The Uttar Pradesh authorities said they will continue the investigation.