Officers conducting a proactive search of a vehicle during a pre-planned operation uncovered a quantity of illegal drugs but also found another unexpected (and cheeky) passenger in the form of a monkey.
Last week, officers stopped a vehicle outside HMP Moorlands during Op Gartley – a regular initiative in which we work alongside His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service to search visitors to Doncaster prisons.
The vehicle was noticed trying to avoid contact with our officers and, following a search of the vehicle, officers recovered a quantity of Class A drugs believed to be crack cocaine.
But they also found a one-year-old marmoset monkey, with the young primate believed to be a person’s pet.
The monkey was safely removed from the vehicle and transported to an animal sanctuary, with the RSPCA now carrying out further enquiries.
Following the search of the vehicle, two women in their 20s were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply drugs and brought into custody.
It is estimated that up to 5,000 primates are currently being kept as pets in the UK.
From 6 April 2026, new legislation will come into force which will require all private keepers of primates in England to obtain a specialist primate licence from their local authority.
Failure to do so is a criminal offence and could result in an unlimited fine or imprisonment.
