Step aside, Hollywood. Real life just gave us a plot better than any 80s horror movie. Picture this: rats high on cocaine, marijuana, and other seized drugs, sneaking into police evidence rooms and turning the place into their own personal party zone. Sounds like fiction? Well, welcome to Houston, where this strange story is actually happening.
Yes, this is real—and no, it’s not the script for a Netflix series (yet). Here’s everything you need to know about Houston’s wild rat problem that’s making headlines across the U.S.
Rodents Run Wild in Houston’s Evidence Rooms
Houston police recently revealed that their evidence storage rooms—which hold over 1.2 million pieces of evidence, including a mind-blowing 400,000 pounds of marijuana—have become a feast for drug-hungry rats. These rodents are not just nibbling on old boxes; they’re chewing through narcotics from the 1990s, including cocaine and weed that should’ve been destroyed long ago.
Imagine this: You’re a lawyer working on a decades-old drug case, and you get a letter that says, “Dear Counsel, the cocaine from your client’s 1996 arrest was eaten by a rat. Good luck in court.” Sounds unreal? Sadly, it’s not.
These Rats Are On Another Level
“These aren’t your average rodents,” said Peter Stout, president of the Houston Forensic Science Center. “They’re drug-addicted rats. They’re tough to deal with.” These furry invaders aren’t just pests; they’re tiny drug lords, out-partying the humans who put the drugs there in the first place.
In a press briefing, the police even showed off old evidence, like cocaine from 1996 and marijuana from 1993—drugs that have been stored so long they’ve become part of the rats’ diet.
Houston’s New Plan: Time to Clean House
To fix this bizarre situation, Houston officials have finally decided to destroy old drug evidence that’s no longer needed for legal cases. This will not only help clean up the storage rooms but might also save the rats from overdosing on decades-old narcotics.
The District Attorney’s office has even created a special role—a senior attorney whose job is to manage drug destruction. Yes, someone is now officially responsible for making sure rats don’t get high on evidence drugs.
It’s Not Just Houston: A National Problem
“This isn’t just a Houston problem,” said Stout. “Rodents, bugs, and even fungus love drugs.” That’s right—our nation’s drug storage rooms are apparently the new nightclubs for pests.
It turns out that drugs kept in storage for years are like free snacks for rodents, insects, and even mold. So, while humans fight over drug laws, rats are just living their best lives—uninvited, unpaid, and high.