Pubdate: Sat, 08 Oct 2005
Source: Mirror, The (UK)
Copyright: 2005 The Mirror
Contact:  http://www.mirror.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1161
Author: Paul Byrne

SQUIRREL CRACK-KIN

Creatures Dig Up Secret Stash Of Drugs In Garden

Squirrels are going nuts for crack cocaine - digging up secret stashes
hidden by drugs dealers.

The bushy-tailed creatures use their powerful sense of smell to detect
the Class A drugs, buried in garden flower beds by dealers to avoid
being caught by police.

Now animal lovers fear Britain's grey squirrel population could become
addicted.

One homeowner in Brixton, South London, said: "My neighbour told me
that crack users and dealers sometimes use my front garden to hide
bits of their stash."

"An hour earlier I'd seen a squirrel wandering around the garden
digging in the flower beds. It was ill-looking but it kept on
desperately digging. It was almost as if it was trying to find hidden
crack rocks."

The squirrel raids have led to rival drug gangs blaming each other for
the stolen drugs.

In America, crack-crazed squirrels live in parks frequented by addicts
in New York and Washington.

Visitors have been attacked by the rodents desperate for a fix.

The RSPCA confirmed: "The animal is attracted by smell and if it
detects something like this it will dig it up." 
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MAP posted-by: Matt Elrod