Five illegal capybaras seized with crack cocaine after police chase

Two men have been arrested after trying to speed away from police with a car full of drugs and five capybaras.

The chase began after the car they were driving did not slow down for a traffic stop in Costa Rica on Wednesday.

Officers gave pursuit, and eventually managed to catch up and stop the vehicle, which was being driven by two men with prior criminal records.

After handcuffing the men and searching the car, they found two adult capybaras in a cage, three babies, 60 doses of crack cocaine, cannabis, and weapons.

Police posted photos of the animals online, saying they had been taken to a vet to check over, and seemed fine although a little skinny.

Capybaras are not native to the Central American country, and have the potential to wreak havoc with the ecosystem as they can quickly breed, have few natural predators, and could spread new diseases.

Dark side of social media fame

Everyone loves a capybara, and they have recently had a moment as social media stars, thanks to their chill demeanour and apparent aesthetic similarity to Glen Powell.

But this very love could have made them a target for criminal gangs, sniffing out smuggling them as a lucrative trade.

Local broadcaster Teletica said the world’s largest rodent had become a ‘fashion icon’ in recent months, and could be seen in San José ‘adorning a variety of products, from stuffed animals to backpacks’.

Now they are the internet’s latest obsession, people are more like to want to have one as a pet, which is where the smugglers may see an opportunity.

At least, we assume that’s more likely than them being used for transporting contraband themselves – unlike the ‘drug smuggling cat’ caught with cannabis strapped to its belly before being sent into a prison in Costa Rica last week.

Capybaras are native to South America, including Brazil, where they live in rainforests and wetlands.

The Public Security Ministry said in a statement: ‘This is the first recorded case of illegal capybara trafficking in Costa Rica, marking a milestone in the fight against the illegal wildlife trade.’

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