Monkey business: Police officers discover pet marmoset during drugs raid on car outside prison
Police officers got a bananas surprise during a search on a vehicle waiting to visit a prison in Doncaster.
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Last week, officers stopped the vehicle outside HMP Moorlands during a routine search of visitors.
South Yorkshire police said the vehicle was noticeably trying to avoid contact with officers and following a search of the vehicle, police 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 someone's pet.
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The force said the monkey was safely removed from the vehicle and taken to an animal sanctuary, with the RSPCA now carrying out 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 jail.