Monkey and crack found in car stopped at prison

A "cheeky" one-year-old monkey has been discovered alongside what is believed to be a quantity of crack cocaine during the search of a car outside a prison.

Police said they were surprised to find the marmoset monkey was an "unexpected passenger" after the car was stopped outside HMP Moorlands in Doncaster.

The young primate at the centre of the monkey business, believed to be a pet, was safely removed from the vehicle and taken to an RSPCA sanctuary, according to South Yorkshire Police.

Following the search of the vehicle, which took place last week, two women in their 20s were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply drugs and taken into custody.

The RSPCA was now carrying out further inquiries into how the monkey came to be in the car, a force spokesperson said.

The discovery of the marmoset was made by officers involved in what is know as Operation Gartley - a regular initiative in which police work with His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service to search visitors to Doncaster prisons.

"The vehicle was noticeable trying to avoid contact with our officers, and following a search of the vehicle, officers recovered a quantity of Class A drugs, believed to be crack cocaine," the spokesperson added.

Government figures estimate there are between 3,000 and 5,000 primates kept in homes 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.

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