The Houston Police Department's drug evidence has been disappearing, but it's not corrupt cops who are stealing. It's rats. The mayor of Houston revealed in a press conference that rats have infested the HPD evidence room and have been chewing on evidence since at least October. In many cases, only the packaging was damaged, but rats have also consumed drug evidence.
The mayor said an exterminator had been hired to deal with the problem, but "This is difficult getting these rodents out of there. I mean, think about it. They're drug-addicted rats. They're tough to deal with."
The rats appear to have a preference for marijuana but, in at least one case, chowed down on psychedelic mushrooms. The evidence room contains over 400,000 pounds of marijuana, so the rats have a steady supply. Up to 3600 open cases have been compromised by the rat infestation, including cases of capital murder.
Attorneys for the defendants whose evidence has been tampered with by the rats have been notified.
Previously: New York feeding rats tasty birth control
