A corn snake, like this one, was left to guard the drugs

Snake guards drugs stash in Hoxton flat

Chloë Mayer, Senior Reporter Wednesday, May 23, 2012
4:47 PM

A 6ft corn snake was left to guard a stash of cocaine when the reptile’s owner hid the class A drugs under a plastic ornamental cave in its tank in an attempt to foil police.

Officers from the Hoxton Safer Neighbourhoods Team had raided a flat and a spokeswoman said one of the officers, who suffers from a “mild phobia” of snakes, plunged his hand into the tank to search it.

He found what’s suspected to be cocaine in two large cellophane wraps.

A 24 year old man was arrested at the scene on May 17 on suspicion of possession with intent to supply to Class A and B drugs. He was bailed to return to Stoke Newington Police Station on July 17, pending forensic analysis.