US woman charged after pet raccoon found with meth pipes

A woman is facing drug possession charges after her pet raccoon was allegedly found with meth pipes during her arrest in Ohio.

Victoria Vidal was arrested during a traffic stop in Akron on Tuesday night after the vehicle's registered owner was identified as having an active arrest warrant and a suspended driver's license.

The 55-year-old was arrested at the scene, the Springfield Township Police Department said yesterday on social media.

However, things took an unusual turn after the officer returned to Vidal's vehicle – and found a racoon in the driver's seat with a glass pipe in its mouth.

“The raccoon has her meth pipe,” an officer could be heard saying in body cam footage. “That’s evidence now.”

The pipe was taken away, after which the racoon, Chewy, produced another.

The discovery led officers to carry out a further search of the vehicle, which revealed a "bulk amount of methamphetamine", crack cocaine, and three used glass meth pipes.

"Thankfully, Chewy the raccoon was unharmed, and notification was made to the proper authorities to determine that she has the proper paperwork and documentation to own the racoon," the police department said.

"While our officers are trained to expect the unexpected, finding a raccoon holding a meth pipe is a first! No raccoons were hurt or injured in this incident."

Vidal was charged with possession of drugs, three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, and was cited for driving under suspension. She was also turned over to Cuyahoga Falls Police on her active warrant. Additional charges related to the possession of crack cocaine would be presented at Grand Jury pending lab results.