Rats Munch on 400,000 Pounds of Marijuana in Police Storage

Rats in Houston have been living the high life - literally. The city’s police evidence room, overstuffed with decades of seized narcotics, has become a feast for rodents. Among the stash: 400,000 pounds of marijuana and even magic mushrooms. Now, city officials are finally taking steps to destroy outdated evidence, address a severe backlog, and clean up the mess - both physically and figuratively.

Rats Invade the Evidence Room

The Houston Police Department’s (HPD) evidence room, located at 1200 Travis St., is home to over 1.2 million pieces of evidence, including narcotics and other items that have been stored for decades. “We have kilos of cocaine from the ’90s where people have already been sent to prison, have already been released from the sentence, and we still store it,” HPD Chief J. Noe Diaz said during a press conference, as reported by KHOU 11.

In January, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office (HCDAO) was alerted to a rodent problem in the evidence room. The specific item rodents infiltrated involves only one active case, HCDAO general counsel Joshua Reiss told KHOU 11. “They got into packaging containing mushrooms.”

The infestation and backlog aren’t unique to Houston. “Narcotics evidence rooms and evidence rooms in general that are filled to the brim with old evidence, it’s a national issue,” Reiss told KHOU 11.

A Plan to Clear the Backlog

To address the issue, city and county leaders announced a new policy allowing for the destruction of outdated narcotics evidence. “As of right now, we are starting to move that up, and we will be destroying any narcotics evidence that has been obtained prior to 2015,” Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare said during the press conference, according to KHOU 11.

Officials also announced that evidence will now be destroyed after plea bargains are executed, provided both prosecutors and defense attorneys agree. This change marks a departure from previous policies requiring the indefinite storage of evidence, even for resolved cases.

Legal Fallout and Criticism

While officials believe the rodent infiltration only compromised one active case, the HCDAO is notifying defense attorneys in more than 3,600 open drug-related cases out of an abundance of caution. Critics argue that the evidence backlog not only jeopardizes cases but also keeps police tied up with administrative tasks instead of focusing on active investigations.

Rats’ Feast Finally Ends

As Houston begins clearing out its evidence room, city officials hope to resolve systemic inefficiencies and prevent future disasters. Mayor Whitmire summed up the absurdity of the situation best: “... we’ve got 400,000 pounds of marijuana in storage that the rats are the only ones enjoying,” KHOU 11 reported.

This cleanup effort isn’t just about solving a rodent problem - it’s about modernizing outdated policies and ensuring the integrity of Houston’s criminal justice system. While the rats may have enjoyed their feast, their days of munching on magic mushrooms and marijuana are officially over. And if you thought your job was bad, just imagine being the poor soul who has to clean up after stoned rats.

While the cleanup highlights deeper issues in evidence storage nationwide, it also offers an opportunity to reimagine outdated policies and prevent future disasters - rodents and otherwise. The rats may have enjoyed their feast, but the city is ready to take back control, one pound of marijuana at a time.

References: Rats Have Munchies for Marijuana in Houston Police Evidence Room Because of Years-Long Backlog | Rats revel in the HPD evidence room, disrupting over 3,600 drug cases | ‘The rats are the only ones enjoying it’ | Houston to clear outdated police evidence