Rat Infestation Affects Houston Police Evidence Room

Houston police are facing a unique challenge as rats have infiltrated their evidence room, consuming large quantities of seized drugs, notably marijuana and magic mushrooms. The infestation has led officials to announce the destruction of unnecessary narcotics evidence, specifically targeting items collected before 2015, as the evidence room holds around 400,000 pounds of marijuana. Mayor John Whitmire and police Chief Noe Diaz highlighted the need for this action to clear outdated evidence that dates back decades, while also addressing the broader issue of rodent problems in police storage facilities nationwide. The Harris County District Attorney's Office is notifying defense attorneys in over 3,600 open drug-related cases about the situation, although only one case has been directly impacted by the rodent activity. Experts note that such infestations are common across the country, with pests drawn to long-stored drugs, complicating evidence management for law enforcement. The city aims to improve operations and prevent future infestations by streamlining their evidence storage protocols.